Camera capable of automatically responding to data coded on film

• US RE34,452 E
• Filed: 12/19/1990
• Issued: 11/23/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/1980
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Taniguchi, Nobuyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Adams, Russell E.
• Application Number:
  US07/629,164
• Re-issue Of: US 5,052,064 A
• Time in Patent Office: 1,070 Days
• Field of Search: 354/21, 354/105, 354/109, 354/236
• US Class Current: 396/210
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 1/60 Measuring or indicating length of the used or unused film; Counting number of exposures
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2207/00 Control of exposure by setting shutters, diaphragms, or filters separately or conjointly
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 7/091 Digital circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 7/24 automatically in accordance with markings or other means indicating film speed or kind of film on the magazine to be inserted in the camera

Abstract

A camera includes a detector for detecting codes provided on a film as the film advances, another detector for detecting sprocket holes provided on the camera so as to detect the speed of film advance, a register for registering signals representative of codes at a speed relative to the speed of film advance, and a device for reading the registered data. Accordingly, the codes on the film informs the camera of various data, such as film speed, available exposure frame number, etc., and the camera automatically sets these data for the proper photographing operation.

Claims

1. A camera capable of automatically responding to film speed data received from a film to be loaded in the camera comprising:

means for receiving digital date representative of the film speed from the film;

means for storing the digital film speed data received by said receiving means;

a digital calculating means, responsive to the digital data stored in said storing means, for calculating digital exposure information;

means for generating predetermined invariable digital data representative of a constant film speed capable of being substituted for the digital data to be stored in said storing means;

means for automatically adopting said invariable digital data to substitute it for the digital data from the film when said storing means is incapable of storing the digital data from the film;

means for digitally displaying the result of the calculation by said calculating means; and

means for controlling the exposure of the camera in accordance with the result of the calculation by said calculating means.

2. A camera as claimed in claim 1 further comprising means for displaying the digital film speed data utilized by said calculating means.

3. A camera capable of automatically responding to film speed data received from a film to be loaded in the camera comprising:

means for receiving digital data representative of the film speed;

means for storing the digital film speed data received by said receiving means;

means for generating predetermined invariable digital data representative of a constant film speed capable of being substituted for the digital data to be stored in said storing means;

means responsive to the digital data stored in said storing means for displaying the digital film speed data; and

means for automatically adopting said invariable digital data to substitute it for the film data when said storing means is incapable of storing the film data. .Iadd.

4. A camera for use with a film roll of the type in which film speed data is to be automatically provided when the film is loaded in the camera, comprising:

means for reading out said film speed data and providing a first data signal representative thereof;

means for manually setting film speed data and providing a second data signal representative thereof with the film of the type loaded in the camera;

manually operable means for outputting a first and second control signal;

selection means for selecting said first data signal in response to said first control signal and for selecting said second data signal for said first signal in response to said second control signal; and

means for controlling the camera exposure in accordance with the data signal selected by said selection means..Iaddend. .Iadd.

5. A camera for use with a film roll of the type in which film speed data is to be automatically provided when the film is loaded in the camera, comprising:

means for reading-out said film speed data and providing a first data signal representative thereof;

means for manually setting film speed data and providing a second data signal representative thereof with the film of the type loaded in the camera;

manually operable means for outputting a control signal;

means for selecting the data signal by substituting said second data signal for said first data signal in response to said control signal and maintaining said second data signal in the absence of said control signal; and

means for controlling the camera exposure in accordance with the data signal output from said data selecting means..Iaddend.