Camera with data exposure function

• US 6,477,331 B2
• Filed: 01/22/2001
• Issued: 11/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Olympus Optical Corporation Limited (Olympus Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Olympus Optical Corporation Limited (Olympus Corporation)
• Inventors: Matsuo, Naoki
• Primary Examiner(s): Adams, Russell
• Assistant Examiner(s): ESPLIN, DAVID B
• Application Number:
  US09/767,116
• Publication Number:
  US 20010010763A1
• Time in Patent Office: 652 Days
• Field of Search: 396/315, 396/406, 396/318, 396/319, 354/106
• US Class Current: 396/318
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/245 Optical means

Abstract

This invention provides a camera with a data exposure function comprising: a dot LED; a film winding mechanism provided with a film feeding motor; a film winding operation detecting portion for outputting a motor pulse signal corresponding to a rotation of the film feeding motor; a perforation detecting portion for detecting a perforation to output a perforation signal; and a main microcomputer for determining a lighting interval pulse by counting the number of motor pulses during detection of plural perforations, calculating a correction time corresponding to a decimal portion of the lighting interval pulse with reference to the period of a motor pulse signal and controlling a lighting interval of the dot LED based on an integer portion of the lighting interval pulse and the correction time.

Claims

1. A camera with a data exposure function for exposing data relating to characters, numerals or symbols by lighting a plurality of light emission devices interlockingly with a film feeding operation, comprising:

a film feeding motor;

a motor pulse signal output portion for outputting a motor pulse signal according to rotation of said film feeding motor;

a perforation detecting portion for detecting a perforation provided in said film to output a perforation signal;

a counting portion for counting the number of motor pulse signals generated after a perforation is detected by said perforation detecting portion until another perforation is detected;

a determining portion for determining a lighting interval pulse for controlling at least a lighting interval of said light emission devices based on a value counted by said counting portion;

a motor pulse period measuring portion for measuring a period of said motor pulse signal;

a correction time calculating portion for calculating a correction time corresponding to a decimal portion of said lighting interval pulse based on the decimal portion of said lighting interval pulse and a motor pulse period measured by said motor pulse period measuring portion; and

a control portion for controlling a lighting interval of said light emission devices using an integer portion of the lighting interval pulse determined by said determining portion and the correction time calculated by said correction time calculating portion.

2. A camera with a data exposure function as claimed in claim 1 wherein the determining portion determines a light emission start pulse for controlling a light emission start position of said light emission device based on said counted value.

3. A camera with a data exposure function as claimed in claim 2 wherein the determining portion determines the light emission start pulse by dividing the counted value by a first coefficient.

4. A camera with a data exposure function as claimed in claim 1 wherein the determining portion determines a character interval pulse for controlling the interval of the character or the like based on the counted value.

5. A camera with a data exposure function as claimed in claim 4 wherein the determining portion determines the character interval pulse by dividing the counted value by a second coefficient.

6. A camera with a data exposure function as claimed in claim 1 wherein the determining portion determines the lighting interval pulse by dividing the counted value by a third coefficient.

7. A camera with a data exposure function as claimed in claim 1 wherein, when any perforation is not detected by the perforation detecting portion within a predetermined time, film rewinding is carried out.

8. A camera with a data exposure function as claimed in claim 1 wherein the motor pulse period measuring portion measures the motor pulse period by measuring a time necessary for counting a predetermined number of pulses.

9. A camera with a data exposure function as claimed in claim 1 wherein the motor pulse period measuring portion measures the motor pulse period by measuring the number of pulses generated within a predetermined time.

10. A camera with a data exposure function as claimed in claim 1 wherein the correction time calculating portion calculates the correction time by multiplying the motor pulse period by a decimal portion of the lighting interval pulse.

11. A camera with a data exposure function comprising:

a data exposure portion including plural light emission devices disposed in a direction perpendicular to a film feeding direction;

a film feeding portion for winding a film by a frame after exposure by controlling drive of a film feeding motor;

a motor pulse signal outputting portion for outputting a motor pulse signal corresponding to a rotation amount accompanied by the rotation of the film feeding motor;

a perforation detecting portion for detecting a perforation provided in the film to output a perforation signal;

a counting portion for counting the number of the motor pulse signals in a period in which particular two perforations are detected by the perforation detecting portion;

a determining portion for determining a lighting interval pulse for controlling a lighting interval of the light emission devices based on a value counted by the counting portion;

a correction time calculating portion for calculating a correction time corresponding to a decimal portion of the lighting interval pulse determined by the determining portion with reference to a period of the motor pulse signal; and

a control portion for exposing data relating to characters, numerals or symbols to the film by controlling a lighting interval of the light emission devices in the data exposure means, based on an integer portion of the lighting interval pulse determined by the determining portion and a correction time calculated by the correction time calculating portion.

12. A camera with a data exposure function as claimed in claim 11 wherein the determining portion determines a light emission start pulse for controlling a light emission start position of the light emission devices based on the counted value.

13. A camera with a data exposure function as claimed in claim 11 wherein the determining portion determines a character interval pulse for controlling an interval of the characters or the like based on the counted value.

14. A camera with a data exposure function as claimed in claim 11 wherein the correction time is a waiting time provided before the light emission devices are lit based on the lighting interval pulse.

15. A data exposure method of a camera with a data exposure function for exposing data relating to characters, numerals or symbols by lighting a plurality of light emission devices interlockingly with a film feeding operation, comprising the steps of:

outputting a motor pulse signal with a rotation of a film feeding motor;

detecting a perforation provided in the film;

counting the number of motor pulse signals in an interval since a predetermined perforation is detected until a subsequent perforation is detected;

measuring the period of the motor pulse signal;

determining a lighting interval pulse for controlling a lighting interval of the light emission devices based on the counted value;

calculating a correction time corresponding to a decimal portion of the lighting interval pulse by calculating the decimal portion of the lighting interval pulse and the period of the motor pulse signal; and

controlling the lighting interval of the light emission devices using an integer portion of the determined lighting interval pulse and the correction time.