Camera having removable display provided on an image bearing medium

• US 7,139,027 B1
• Filed: 09/25/2000
• Issued: 11/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Monument Peak Ventures, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Inventors: Fredlund, John R., Wess, Raymond E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Srivastava, Vivek
• Assistant Examiner(s): SELBY, GEVELL V
• Application Number:
  US09/669,178
• Time in Patent Office: 2,248 Days
• Field of Search: 348/333.01, 348/333.07, 348373-376, 3483331-3337, 396/374, 396/296, 345/97, 345/98, 349/1, 349/168, 349/177, 349/179
• US Class Current: 348/333.07
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/0486 Cholesteric liquid crystals, including chiral-nematic liquid crystals, with transitions between focal conic, planar, and homeotropic states
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/16 by control of light from an independent source
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00129 with a display device, e.g. CRT or LCD monitor with a television apparatus H04N1/00283; arrangements for control of display devices G09G
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2158 using a detachable storage unit
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0084 Digital still camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0087 Image storage device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/531 being rotatable or detachable
• 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

Abstract

A camera having a removable image bearing medium for camera captured images that includes film or a digital memory includes a display disposed relative to the removable image bearing medium so that the display is removable from the camera with the removable image bearing medium, such display displaying images for information related to captured images. The display is actuated to provide images of one or more captured images or information related to such one or more captured images; and the display being positioned for viewing by a user.

Claims

1. A camera having a removable image bearing medium for camera captured images that includes film or a digital memory comprising:

(a) a power source disposed in the camera;

(b) a display disposed relative to the removable image bearing medium so that the display is removable from the camera with the removable image bearing medium, wherein the display receives power from the power source when the display is in the camera and the display is disconnected from the power source when it is removed from the camera, and wherein the display responds to the applied power source when in the camera for displaying image(s) or information related to captured image(s) and continues to display such image(s) or information related to captured image(s) after removal from the camera and disconnection from the power source so that no power is applied to the display; and

(c) means for actuating the display and applying the power source to provide images of one or more captured images or information related to such one or more captured images wherein neither the display nor the removable image bearing medium includes a power source to provide power to the display when the display is removed from the camera.

2. The camera of claim 1 wherein the image bearing medium includes a removable memory card having the digital memory.

3. The camera of claim 1 wherein the image captured related information provides a time or date.

4. The camera of claim 1 wherein the image bearing medium displays at least one indication of the status of the camera.

5. The camera of claim 1 wherein the image bearing medium communicates an indicia of the capabilities of the display to the camera.

6. The camera of claim 4 wherein the camera actuates the display on the image bearing medium to remove camera status indications prior to removal of the image bearing medium from the camera.

7. The camera of claim 1 wherein the display is removable from the removable image bearing medium.

8. The camera of claim 1 wherein the display includes a bar indicator that indicates an amount of storage space available in the removable image bearing medium to store the camera captured images.

9. The camera of claim 1 wherein the display includes memory material comprising chiral doped nematic liquid crystal.

10. The camera of claim 6 wherein the camera status indication includes camera battery status.