JP2579609B2 - Camera that can send and receive signals with information reading devices - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Detailed Description of the Invention) The present invention relates to a camera having, for example, a plurality of program AE modes, and particularly to a camera capable of exchanging signals with an external information reading device.

(Background of the Invention) The applicant of the present application reads, for example, information necessary for photographing written in a barcode or the like on an example storage medium with an information reading device, transmits the data to the camera side with infrared light, and Is automatically received by the infrared light sensor incorporated in the camera, and the program diagram is automatically switched, so that even a person who does not know what effect the aperture or the like has on the photograph can be optimally photographed. Filed for the same day.

However, in order to receive infrared light, it is essential to amplify the detected signal to a signal level that can be detected by the control unit of the camera. Normally, it is necessary to always supply a current to this amplifier circuit (because it is not known when it is transmitted), but since the amplifier circuit consumes a considerable amount of current, the power supply is a battery like a camera. In such a case, such current consumption is undesirable. Therefore,
It was necessary to first set the camera in a receivable state by some operation and then transmit data, and otherwise to prevent the current from flowing through the amplifier circuit.
Therefore, in order to set data (for example, automatic switching of a program diagram), three steps are necessary: first, read data, then set the camera to a data receiving state, and then perform data transmission and reception. However, there is a fear that the operation becomes troublesome.

Further, in such a configuration, there is a possibility that an erroneous signal may be received due to external noise or the like during communication.

(Object of the Invention) An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems, and to provide an information reading apparatus with good operability without consuming unnecessary current, with less malfunction, and a camera capable of transmitting and receiving signals. That is.

(Features of the Invention) In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a switch means for switching from one state to the other state by contact with an external information reading device, and a switch means for switching the switch means to the other state. A power-on means for turning on the power by detecting the change, a detecting means for detecting a transmission signal from the information reading device, a display means for displaying shooting preparation information required at the start of a shooting operation, A storage unit that stores a correspondence relationship between shooting preparation information and a signal from the detection unit, and shooting preparation information corresponding to a signal from the detection unit, is selected from the storage unit; Control means for displaying on the display means; and switch means for switching from one state to the other state by contact of an external information reading device; and A power-on means for turning on the power by detecting that the stage has been switched to the other state, a detecting means for detecting a transmission signal from the information reading device, and used at the time of a shooting preparation operation before the start of the shooting operation. Storage means for storing a correspondence between pre-shooting setting information and a signal from the detecting means; and pre-shooting setting information corresponding to a signal from the detecting means selected from the storing means; Control means for advancing a shooting preparation operation based on the information, whereby the camera is turned on for the first time when the information reading device comes into contact, and in this state, information from the information reading device is detected by the detecting means It is characterized by doing.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.
51 is a code reader, and 52 is a camera body.

On the side of the code reader 51, reference numeral 1 denotes a one-chip microcomputer (hereinafter, referred to as MCU) for performing code reading control, which comprises a CPU, ROM, RAM, IO, a serial communication interface (hereinafter, referred to as SCI), and a timer. . Of the IOs of the MPU 1, an input port P13 is connected to an output of a detection circuit which detects a code, which will be described later. The other input ports P11 and P12 are connected to switches 9 and 10, which are pulled up to the power supply by resistors 13 and 14. The output port P21 of the IO of the MCU1 is connected to one of the OR circuits 16. MCU1 SCI output port P22
Is connected to one input of the NOR circuit 11 and the NOR circuit
The other input of 11 is connected to the 38KHZ oscillation circuit 12,
The output is the other input of the OR circuit 16, and the output of the OR circuit 16 is connected to the base of a transistor described later.
Therefore, the output from the SCI output port P22 is output as a signal modulated at 38 KHz.

5 is a silicon photodiode (SPD), iRED8
The reflected light of a code portion (hereinafter, referred to as a bar code portion) 18 composed of an optically readable black bar and a white space illuminated by the light emitted by the light source is detected. 3
Is a detection circuit having an image abdomen that amplifies the signal level inside, detects the output of SPD5 and outputs a low level if it is a space part of the barcode part 18, and outputs a high level if it is a bar part It is like. Reference numeral 7 denotes a transistor whose collector is connected to iRED8. 15 is MCU1,
A power supply battery that supplies power to the detection circuit 3, iRED4, and iRED8. Reference numeral 17 denotes a sounding body for indicating that code reading has been properly performed.

On the camera 52 side, an MCU 20 controls the camera.
As in the case of the MCU 1, the CPU 1 includes a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, an IO, and an SCI. Reference numeral 21 denotes an SPD configured to receive the infrared light emitted from the iRED8, which is connected to a detection circuit 22.
Output port 22-1 only when there is a signal modulated by HZ
It outputs a lower level signal. The power supply of the detection circuit 22 is switched by a transistor 36, and the base of the transistor 36 is connected to the output port P71 of the MCU 20. The output port 22-1 is M
Connected to input port P51 of SCI of CU20. Reference numeral 25 denotes an SPD for measuring subject brightness, which is connected to an A / D converter 26.The A / D converter 26 converts the subject brightness into a digital value and supplies the digital value to a P4 which is an input port of the MCU 20. Output. The input port P4 is composed of 8 bits. Reference numeral 24 denotes an LCD for display, and reference numeral 23 denotes a driver for driving the LCD, which is connected to the output port P3 of the IO of the MCU 20. Input ports P61 and P62 of IO of MCU20 are switch 27,
It is connected to a power-on switch 30 and is pulled up to a power supply by resistors 28 and 31. Reference numeral 29 denotes a power supply battery on the camera 52 side, which supplies power to the MPU 20, the LCD driver 23, the A / D converter 26, and the detection circuit 22.

The SCI of the MCU 1 outputs an asynchronous signal having a character length of 8 bits, a stop bit of 2 bits, and a start bit of 1 bit, and the SCI of the MCU 20 is input.

2 and 3 are external views of the code reading device 51, the camera body 52, and the like. The same members as those in FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals.

The code reader 51 is provided with two switches 9 and 10, and the leading end 38 of the device incorporates iRED8 and SPD5 serving as a code reader. The iRED8 is also used for transmitting data to the camera body 52 after reading the code.

The camera 52 has a switch 27 for photometry and a data
SPD21 is provided.

The barcode list 53 has the barcode portions 18a and 18b and the corresponding photos 19a and 19b printed thereon. By tracing the barcode portion 18 with the code reading portion (tip 38), the barcode is read. Is to be performed.

Next, the format of the barcode section 18 will be described.

The barcode of the barcode section 18 includes a thin line (called a narrow bar), a thick line (called a wide bar),
It is composed of a narrow space between bars (this is called a narrow space) and a wide space between bars (this is called a wide space). "0" is used for a narrow bar and a narrow space, and "0" is used for a wide bar and a wide space. "1" is made to correspond. Narrow space to narrow bar width ratio is 1: 1, narrow bar to wide bar ratio is 1: 3
And The bar code section 18 (18a, 18b) is shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 4, the bar code always starts with a combination of two narrow bars and a narrow space (called a start bar) and ends with a narrow space sandwiched between a wide bar and a narrow bar (called an end bar). It shall be. The data is written between the start bar and the end bar.
The space is written as one unit, each of which represents a single digit number. FIG. 5 shows the relationship between the arrangement order of "0" and "1" and the number represented by the arrangement order.

For example, in the barcode portion 18a shown in FIG. 4, "00110" is displayed as a bar with the narrow bar being "0" and the wide bar being "1" following the start bar, and similarly, "10001" is displayed in the space. Is displayed. Therefore, the fifth
From the figure, the bar code portion 18a in FIG. 4 indicates "01" (decimal).
This is a bar code, and the bar code portion 18 in FIG.
It can be seen that a is a bar code indicating “04”.

Next, the barcode reading operation will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

As described above, when the output of the detection circuit 3, that is, the input to the input port P13 of the MCU 1 is at a high level, the bar code section 18
Indicates a bar, and a low level indicates a space.

Six registers T0, T1, T2, n, D1, and D2 are prepared in the RAM in the MCU1.

First, wait until the first bar is found in step 100, measure the time of the first narrow bar in steps 101 to 103, measure the narrow space in steps 104 to 106, and measure the time of the next narrow bar in steps 107 to 109. , 1.5 times the maximum value thereof is used for a time T0 for use in determining whether it is narrow or wide.

When the measurement of the time T0 by the start bar is completed, the data register is cleared in step 121, and data reading is started.

At steps 123 and 124, the time of the bar is read. If the time is longer than the time T0, it is determined to be "1", the data is doubled and "1" is added. Otherwise, only double. Steps 128,12
At 9, the time of the space is read, and if it is larger than the time T0, it is determined to be "1" and the same operation is performed.

Each time one set of bar and space is read, the register n is incremented, and reading of the bar and space is repeated.

At steps 150 and 151, an overflow of the timer is detected. If there is an overflow, it is determined that the reading of the barcode has been completed. If an overflow occurs in step 150, it is determined that an error has occurred, and again, ie, step 100
Perform the operation from. If an overflow has occurred in step 151, it is checked whether or not the processing has been completed normally by the number of bars in step 152, then the end bars are checked in steps 153 and 154. And perform the operation again. If it is determined that the processing is normally completed, the sounding body 17 displays a message to that effect.

7 and 8 are sectional views of a power-on switch and a transmission signal reading portion of the camera body 52. FIG.

In these figures, reference numeral 21 denotes the above-mentioned SPD, and reference numeral 35 denotes a rubber contact switch. The power-on switch 30 shown in FIG. 1 is constituted by touching conductive rubbers 32, 33 and 34. 31 is a key top for pressing the rubber contact switch 35, which is hollow, in which the SP
D21 is incorporated. Further, a hole for the lead portion 37 of the SPD 21 is provided.

In the above configuration, an operation in the case where a beautiful flower is desired to be described will be described.

Photo 19a in FIG. 3 is an example in which a flower is desired to be expressed beautifully, and photo 19b is an example in which a flower is to be recorded. In this case, for the former, for example, the aperture is selected to be F4, the depth of field is shallow, and the background is blurred to express the beauty of the flower. By increasing the depth, the background can be identified to some extent, and the photographer can easily understand the situation in which the photograph was taken.

In the case of this embodiment, since the expression of flowers is the main purpose, the photograph 19a is selected, that is, the barcode portion 18a corresponding to the photograph 19a is read. To read a barcode, the user pushes the switch 9 and traces the barcode section 18a. When the switch 9 is pressed, the output port P21 of the MCU 1 is set to the high level, so that the output of the OR circuit 16 is also set to the high level, and the transistor 7 is turned on.
Lights up.

At the same time, the MCU 1 performs a barcode reading operation (described above). Here, since the barcode portion 18a represents "01" (decimal), its value is read and temporarily stored in the internal RAM. When the switch 9 is turned off, the MCU 1 sets P21 to a low level.

Next, the data held in the internal RAM is stored in the camera body 52.
Will be described.

When the reading unit (tip 38) is pressed against the light receiving unit 39 of the camera 52, the key top 31 is pressed as shown in FIG. 7, and the rubber contact switch 34 is turned on, that is, the switch 30 shown in FIG.

When the switch 30 turns on and the input port P62 goes low, the MCU 20 outputs a low level to the output port P71 and turns on the transistor. When the transistor 36 is turned on, power is supplied to the detection circuit 22, and the detection circuit 22 enters a receivable state.

Next, when the switch 10 of the code reading device 51 is pressed, the MCU 1 converts the binary “000000” obtained by converting “01” into a BCD code.
01 ”is output from the SCI (output port P22).

FIG. 9 (a) shows the waveform. This output is NDR circuit 1
The signal is modulated to 38 KHZ by 1 and the transistor 7 is turned on with the waveform as shown in FIG. 9 (b) to turn on the iRED8. The data (infrared light) emitted from iRED8 is transmitted to the SP
D21, demodulated by the detection circuit 22,
The signal becomes the same as that shown in FIG. 9A as shown in FIG. 9C and is input to the SCI of the MCU 20. Therefore, MCU20 is "00000
This means that the data of "001", that is, the data of hexadecimal "01" has been received.

The MCU 20 stores this data "01" in a part M1 of the internal RAM (see FIG. 10).

Next, when the switch 27 is pressed, the MCU 20 measures the luminance of the subject from the output of the A / D converter 26 and performs an operation for determining a shutter speed (TV value) and an aperture value (AV value). Note that the output of the A / D converter 26
It is assumed that it can be read as it is in step 4.

When the value of M1 is equal to or greater than "06" (data of M1 is undefined), the MCU 20 performs the control shown in FIG. 11 (1), and when the value of M1 is other than that, FIG. 11 (2) The following control is performed.

Now, since the value of M1 is "01", the MCU 20 performs the control of FIG. 11 (2). In other words, when the EV value is “8” or less, the aperture priority AE of the aperture F2, and when the EV value is “8” to “9”, the shutter speed priority AE of the shutter speed 1/60 second, and when the EV value is “9” to “ During "15", the aperture priority AE of the aperture F2.8 is set, and when the EV value is "15" or more, the shutter speed priority AE with the shutter speed of 1/4000 second is set. This program diagram is shown in FIG. Therefore, in the range of brightness from EV9 to EV15 (mostly included in this brightness range during daytime shooting)
Photo was taken at F2.8, as described above (example of photo 19a)
You can take pictures with a blurred background.

According to the present embodiment, the switch 30 which is turned on by pressing the keycap 31 in the light receiving unit 39 by the reading unit (tip 38) of the code reading device 51 is provided, and the above operation is performed only during reception, and the amplifier is internally provided. Detection circuit 22 having
Since the power is turned on, wasteful current consumption is avoided.

Further, since there is no need to operate the camera 52 (such as turning on the power) in advance, it is preferable in terms of display and operation of the camera.

Further, since transmission and reception are performed when the transmission unit and the reception unit are at a fixed interval, that is, in the state shown in FIG. 8, the amount of light at the time of transmission can be reduced, and a battery having a smaller current capacity can be used. In addition, since the influence of external light during transmission and reception is reduced, malfunctions can be reduced.

(Correspondence between the invention and the embodiment) In this embodiment, the power-on switch 30 is used as the switch means of the present invention, and the power-on means based on the signal from P62 in the MCU 20 is used as the power-on means. Circuit 2
2 corresponds to the detection means.

(Modification) In the present embodiment, the pre-imaging setting information to be set at the time of the imaging preparation operation before the start of imaging, such as aperture, is read from the code reading device 51, and the information is automatically set. It is possible to cope with the case where data to which photographing equipment necessary for photographing, for example, data on whether or not a tripod or a strobe is used is transmitted from the code reader 51, can be developed into a camera. That is, information such as the aperture is automatically set based on the information, and the photographing equipment information such as the tripod is configured to be notified to the photographer on the LCD 24. As a result, a more convenient camera can be provided.

(Effects of the Invention) As described above, according to the present invention, the switch means switches from one state to the other state when the external information reading device comes into contact, and the switch means switches to the other state. Power-on means for turning on the power by detecting that the information is read; detecting means for detecting a transmission signal from the information reading device; display means for displaying photographing preparation information necessary for starting a photographing operation; And storage means for storing a correspondence relationship between the signal from the detection means and shooting preparation information corresponding to the signal from the detection means from the storage means, and the shooting preparation information is displayed on the display means. Switch means for switching from one state to the other state when an external information reading device comes into contact therewith; and A power-on means for turning on the power by detecting that the state has been switched to a state, a detecting means for detecting a transmission signal from the information reading device, and a pre-shooting setting used in a pre-shooting operation before the start of the shooting operation. Storage means for storing a correspondence relationship between information and a signal from the detection means, and pre-shooting setting information corresponding to the signal from the detection means, selected from the storage means, and based on the pre-shooting setting information. Control means for advancing the photographing preparation operation by turning on the power to the camera side only when the information reading device comes into contact with the information reading device. In this state, the information from the information reading device is detected by the detecting means. Since the,
It is possible to provide a camera which does not consume current unnecessarily, has little malfunction, and is easy to operate.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a bar code list used to carry out the present invention,
FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an example of a code reading device, FIG. 3 is a front view of the same code reading device and a camera of one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 4 is a bar code list used to carry out the present invention. FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining the example photograph and the bar code portion of FIG. 1, FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a correspondence relationship between a bar code held in the MCU 1 shown in FIG. 1 and numerical values, and FIG. 6 is a diagram for implementing the present invention. 7 and 8 are cross-sectional views of a power-on switch and a transmission signal reading portion according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. FIG. 10 is a timing chart of a code receiving unit, FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a correspondence relationship between a code held in the MCU 20 shown in FIG.
FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a control example of a program diagram performed by the MCU 20 shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 12 is a diagram showing the program diagram. 20: MCU, 21: SPD, 22: Detection circuit, 30: Switch for turning on power, 31: Key cap, 51: Code reader, 52: Camera body, 53: Bar code list.

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A switch means for switching from one state to another state when an external information reading device comes into contact, and power is turned on by detecting that the switch means is switched to the other state. Power-on means, detection means for detecting a transmission signal from the information reading device,
Display means for displaying photographing preparation information required at the start of photographing operation; storage means for storing a correspondence relationship between the photographing preparation information and a signal from the detecting means; and a signal corresponding to the signal from the detecting means. A camera capable of transmitting and receiving signals to and from an information reading apparatus including a control unit for selecting photographing preparation information from the storage unit and displaying the photographing preparation information on the display unit. 2. A switch means for switching from one state to another state when an external information reading device comes into contact, and power is turned on by detecting that the switch means is switched to the other state. Power-on means, detection means for detecting a transmission signal from the information reading device,
A storage unit that stores a correspondence relationship between pre-imaging setting information and a signal from the detecting unit used during an imaging preparation operation before the start of an imaging operation, and pre-imaging setting information corresponding to a signal from the detecting unit, A camera capable of transmitting and receiving signals to and from an information reading apparatus comprising: a control unit selected from the storage unit and configured to advance a shooting preparation operation based on the pre-shooting setting information.