Electronic camera with an alarm function

• US 7,259,781 B2
• Filed: 05/29/2003
• Issued: 08/21/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Beijing Xiaomi Mobile Software Co., Ltd. (Xiaomi Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Casio Computer Company Limited
• Inventors: Koreki, Taku, Yumoto, Noboru
• Primary Examiner(s): Ye, Lin
• Assistant Examiner(s): AGGARWAL, YOGESH K
• Application Number:
  US10/449,802
• Publication Number:
  US 20030222988A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,545 Days
• Field of Search: 379/106.05, 379/106.09
• US Class Current: 348/207.99
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00307 with a mobile telephone apparatus constructional features of portable telephone sets H04M1/0202; mobile radio systems H04W84/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00488 providing an audible output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0049 providing a visual indication to the user, e.g. using a lamp H04N1/00408 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2112 using still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2158 using a detachable storage unit
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/66 Remote control of cameras or camera parts, e.g. by remote control devices

Abstract

A digital camera comprising an optical lens system (12) that picks up an image of an object, a CCD (13), a sample and hold circuit (16), an AID converter (17), a color process circuit (18), a timer (32) that records the present time or counts down a set time, a key-in unit (27) that sets an alarm time, a display (26) comprising a plurality of information means capable of selecting information with or without sound, a vibrator (30), an LED display (33), a speaker (35), and a controller (22) that selects at least one from the plurality of information means depending upon the pickup of an image being carried out when the timing operation by the timer (32) has ended, and causes the selected information means to inform the user that the set time has come or run out.

Claims

1. An electronic camera comprising:

an image pickup control unit for causing an image pickup unit to perform a predetermined image pickup operation;

a shutter button operable for commanding recording of an image;

a first determining unit for determining whether or not predetermined information conditions, exclude operation of the shutter button, are satisfied;

a second determining unit for, at a time when the first determining unit determines that the predetermined information conditions, excluding operation of the shutter button, are satisfied, determining whether or not the image pickup control unit causes the image pickup unit to perform the predetermined image pickup operation;

a first information control unit, responsive to the second determining unit determining that the image pickup control unit does not cause the image pickup unit to perform the predetermined image pickup operation, for immediately commanding a first information unit to automatically start its information operation; and

a second information control unit, responsive to the predetermined image pickup operation being terminated after the second determining unit determines that the image pickup control unit causes the image pickup unit to perform the predetermined image pickup operation, for commanding the first information unit to start its information operation.

2. The electronic camera of claim 1, further comprising:

a first detection unit for detecting that the predetermined image pickup operation has been terminated;

wherein the second information control unit delays a command of the first information unit to start its information operation until the first detection unit detects that the predetermined image pickup operation is terminated.

3. The electronic camera of claim 2, wherein the second information control unit is responsive to the first detection unit detecting that the predetermined image pickup operation has been terminated to thereby command the first information unit to start its information operation.

4. The electronic camera of claim 1, wherein the first information unit comprises a speaker.

5. The electronic camera of claim 1, wherein the first information unit comprises a vibrator.

6. The electronic camera of claim 1, further comprising:

a setting unit for setting any alarm time manually;

wherein the first determining unit is responsive to the alarm time set by the setting unit coinciding with a present time to thereby determine that the predetermined information conditions are satisfied.

7. The electronic camera of claim 1, further comprising:

a setting unit for setting any desired alarm time manually;

wherein the first determining unit is responsive to the desired alarm time set by the setting unit having elapsed to thereby determine that the predetermined information conditions are satisfied.

8. The electronic camera of claim 1, further comprising:

a second detection unit for detecting an incoming call, and

the first determining unit is responsive to the second detection unit detecting the incoming call to thereby determine that the predetermined information conditions are satisfied.

9. The electronic camera of claim 1, further comprising a third information control unit, responsive to the second determining unit determining that the image pickup control unit causes the image pickup unit to perform its predetermined image pickup operation, for commanding a second information unit different from the first information unit to start its information operation.

10. The electronic camera of claim 9, wherein the second information unit comprises a display output unit.

11. The electronic camera of claim 1, wherein the third information control unit causes the second information unit to continue the information operation until the predetermined image pickup operation is terminated.

12. The electronic camera of claim 1, wherein the image pickup control unit causes the image pickup unit to perform a moving-image pickup operation.

13. The electronic camera of claim 1, wherein the image pickup control unit causes the image pickup unit to perform a moving-image pickup operation and also causes a recording unit to record sound involved in the moving-image.

14. The electronic camera of claim 1, wherein the image pickup control unit causes the image pickup unit to perform a still-image pickup operation.

15. The electronic camera of claim 1, further comprising:

a mode setting unit for setting an image pickup mode manually;

wherein the image pickup control unit causes the image pickup unit to perform a through-image pickup operation when the mode setting unit has set the image pickup mode; and

wherein the second information control unit is responsive to the first determining unit determining that the predetermined information conditions are satisfied while the image pickup control unit causes the image pickup unit to perform the through-image pickup operation to thereby delay a command of the first information unit to start its information operation until the mode setting unit cancels the set image pickup mode.

16. The electronic camera of claim 1, further comprising:

a mode setting unit for setting an image pickup mode manually;

wherein the image pickup control unit causes the image pickup unit to perform a through-image pickup operation when the mode setting unit has set the image pickup mode; and

the second information control unit is responsive to the first determining unit determining that the predetermined information conditions are satisfied while the image pickup control unit causes the image pickup unit to perform the through-image pickup operation to thereby delay a command of the first information unit to start its information operation until the mode setting unit cancels the set image pickup mode.

17. The electronic camera of claim 1, further comprising:

a first select unit for selecting any desired one from a plurality of information units; and

a third determining unit for determining whether or not the desired information unit selected by the first select unit is the first information one,

the second information control unit being responsive to the third determining unit determining that the desired information unit selected by the first select unit is the first information one to thereby delay a command of the first information unit to start its information operation until the predetermined image pickup operation is terminated.

18. The electronic camera of claim 1, further comprising:

a fourth determining unit for determining whether or not the image pickup control unit has caused the image pickup unit to perform its image pickup operation during the information operation of the first information unit started in accordance with the command of the first information control unit; and

a forth information control unit, responsive to the fourth determining unit determining that the image pickup control unit has caused the image pickup unit to perform its image pickup operation, for stopping the information operation of the first information unit started in accordance with the command of the first information control unit.

19. The electronic camera of claim 1, wherein:

the first information control unit commands the first information unit to start to replay a desired piece of music; and

the second information control unit delays a command of the first information unit to start to replay the desired piece of music until the predetermined image pickup operation is terminated.

20. The electronic camera of claim 1, further comprising:

a second select unit for manually selecting any desired one from a plurality of different pieces of music;

wherein the first information control unit commands the first information unit to start to replay the desired piece of music selected by the second select unit; and

the second information control unit delays a command of the first information unit to start to replay the desired piece of music selected by the second select unit until the predetermined image pickup operation is terminated.

21. A method of controlling information in an electronic camera, the method comprising the steps of:

determining whether or not predetermined information conditions, excluding operation of a shutter button are satisfied;

at a time when it is determined that the predetermined information conditions, excluding operation of the shutter button, are satisfied, determining whether a predetermined image pickup operation has been performed by an image unit;

responsive to determining that the predetermined image pick up operation has not been performed, commanding an information unit to automatically start its information operation; and

responsive to the image pickup operation being terminated after it is determined that the predetermined image pickup operation has been performed, commanding the information unit to start its information operation.