Printer-built-in image-sensing apparatus and electric-consumption control method thereof

• US 20030043273A1
• Filed: 10/09/2002
• Published: 03/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/1995
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Etsurou Suzuki
• Original Assignee: Etsurou Suzuki
• Inventors: Suzuki, Etsurou
• Granted Patent: US 6,888,649 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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 1/00888 Control thereof
• 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 23/50 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/63 by using electronic viewfinders
• 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 printer-built-in image-sensing apparatus including a camera which performs image sensing with film exposure, and a printer which prints an image sensed by the camera. After a shutter button has been pressed and image sensing with strobe light emission has been performed, if printing is instructed by pressing of a print button, then electric charging a capacitor of a strobe circuit is made after the completion of the print operation. Otherwise, the charging of the capacitor is started immediately after the image sensing. In this case, even if printing is instructed during the electric charge, printing is started after completion of the electric charge. Thus, electric consumption upon print operation can be reduced and fluctuation of voltage can be suppressed.

Claims

1. A printer-built-in image-sensing apparatus having a printer which prints an image on a print medium, comprising:

image-sensing means having a strobe-light function;

instruction means for instructing printing of an image using said printer;

control means for, if said instruction means instructs printing of an image after image sensing using the strobe-light function by said image-sensing means, starting printing of the image by said printer; and

electric charging means for, after completion of printing of the image by said printer based on an instruction by said instruction means, starting charging of a capacitor used in the strobe-light function.

2. The printer-built-in image-sensing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said printer is an ink-jet printer.

3. The printer-built-in image-sensing apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising:

judgment means for judging whether or not a predetermined period has elapsed since image sensing by said image-sensing means; and

recovery means for performing recovery processing on a printhead of said printer if said judgment means judges the predetermined period has elapsed.

4. The printer-built-in image-sensing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image is a video image image-sensed by said image-sensing means.

5. The printer-built-in image-sensing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising reproduction means for reproducing an image stored in a storage medium,

wherein the image is a video image obtained by reproducing the image stored in the storage medium by said reproduction means.

6. A printer-built-in image-sensing apparatus having a printer which prints an image on a print medium, comprising:

image-sensing means having a strobe-light function;

instruction means for instructing printing of an image using said printer;

electric charging means for, after image sensing using the strobe-light function by said image-sensing means, starting charging of a capacitor used in the strobe-light function; and

control means for, if said instruction means instructs printing of the image during electric charging by said electric charging means, starting printing of the image by said printer after the capacitor has been charged to a predetermined level.

7. The printer-built-in image-sensing apparatus according to claim 6, said printer is an ink-jet printer.

8. The printer-built-in image-sensing apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising:

judgment means for judging whether or not a predetermined period has elapsed since image sensing by said image-sensing means; and

recovery means for performing recovery processing on a printhead of said printer if said judgment means judges the predetermined period has elapsed.

9. The printer-built-in image-sensing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the image is a video image image-sensed by said image-sensing means.

10. The printer-built-in image-sensing apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising reproduction means for reproducing an image stored in a storage medium,

wherein the image is a video image obtained by reproducing the image stored in the storage medium by said reproduction means.

11. A printer-built-in image-sensing apparatus having a printer which prints an image on a print medium, comprising:

image-sensing means having a strobe-light function;

instruction means for instructing printing of an image using said printer;

electric charging means for charging a capacitor used in the strobe-light function; and

control means for, if said instruction means instructs printing of an image after image sensing using the strobe-light function by said image-sensing means, starting printing of the image by said printer after the capacitor has been charged to a predetermined level by said electric charging means, while if said instruction means does not instructs printing of the image after image sensing using the strobe-light function by said image-sensing means, starting charging of the capacitor by said electric charging means and inhibiting printing of the image by said printer based on instruction by said instruction means until the capacitor has been charged to the predetermined level.

12. The printer-built-in image-sensing apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the image is a video image image-sensed by said image-sensing means.

13. The printer-built-in image-sensing apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising reproduction means for reproducing an image stored in a storage medium,

wherein the image is a video image obtained by reproducing the image stored in the storage medium by said reproduction means.

14. A printer-built-in image-sensing apparatus having a printer which prints an image on a print medium, comprising:

display means for displaying an image on a view finder;

instruction means for instructing printing of the image using said printer; and

control means for, if said instruction means instructs printing of the image, starting printing of the image by said printer and stopping power supply to said display means.

15. The printer-built-in image-sensing apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising information display means for displaying print status information during the printing of the image by said printer.

16. The printer-built-in image-sensing apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said control means turns off power supply to said display means when a film is rewind in a camera.

17. The printer-built-in image-sensing apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the camera is a video camera.

18. An electric-consumption control method in a printer-built-in image-sensing apparatus having a printer which prints an image on a print medium, comprising:

an image-sensing step of performing image sensing using a strobe-light function;

a printing step of, if printing of an image obtained by the image sensing at image-sensing step using said printer is instructed, starting printing by said printer; and

a charging step of starting charging of a capacitor used in the strobe-light function after completion of the printing by said printer.

19. The electric-consumption control method according to claim 18, wherein said printer is an ink-jet printer, and said method further comprising a recovery step of performing recovery processing on a printhead of said printer if a predetermined period has elapsed since the image sensing at said image-sensing step.

20. An electric-consumption control method in a printer-built-in image-sensing apparatus having a printer which prints an image on a print medium, comprising:

an image-sensing step of performing image sensing using a strobe-light function;

an electric charging step of starting charging of a capacitor used in the strobe-light function after the image sensing at said image-sensing step; and

a printing step of, if printing of an image obtained by the image sensing at image-sensing step using said printer is instructed, starting printing by said printer after completion of the electric charging of the capacitor.

21. The electric-consumption control method according to claim 20, wherein said printer is an ink-jet printer, and said method further comprising a recovery step of performing recovery processing on a printhead of said printer if a predetermined period has elapsed since the image sensing at said image-sensing step.

22. An electric-consumption control method in a printer-built-in image-sensing apparatus having a printer which prints an image on a print medium, comprising:

a printing step of, if printing of an image obtained by image sensing using a strobe-light function using said printer is instructed, starting printing by said printer after a capacitor used in the strobe-light function has been charged to a predetermined level; and

an inhibition step of, if printing of the image obtained by the image sensing using the strobe-light function using said printer is not instructed, starting charging of the capacitor and inhibiting printing of the image by said printer until the capacitor has been charged to the predetermined level.

23. An electric-consumption control method in a printer-built-in image-sensing apparatus having a camera including a view finder which displays an image and a printer which prints an image, comprising:

a printing step of starting printing of an image by said printer if the printing of the image using said printer is instructed; and

a turn-off step of turning off power supply to the view finder during the printing of the image by said printer.

24. The electric-consumption control method according to claim 23, further comprising a display step of displaying information on printing of the image during the printing of the image by said printer.

25. The electric-consumption control method according to claim 23, further comprising a turn-off step of turning off the power supply to the view finder when a film is rewind in said camera.

26. The electric-consumption control method according to claim 23, wherein said camera is a video camera.