JP3146512B2 - camera - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a camera, and more particularly to an IC card for the camera.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In photography by a camera, specialized techniques such as adjustment of aperture and shutter speed as well as focusing are often required depending on the subject and the state of light. However, such techniques are difficult to learn. Therefore, an IC card for a camera has been devised so that even a beginner can easily take a photograph requiring advanced technology. When this IC card is inserted into the camera body, the program inside the card
Various functions can be obtained. These functions allow you to automatically set the aperture and shutter speed when shooting a person or a fast-moving subject, for example, and to shoot multiple images with different exposures. It is.

[0003]

Conventionally, these several types of IC cards can only be mounted on a camera one by one.
In addition, it is executed in the shooting mode of one inserted card
I was able to realize only the shooting that was done. However, if a plurality of photographing mode functions can be used in one photographing, a photograph requiring more advanced technology can be easily photographed, which is effective. Also, for the user, the predetermined shooting mode of the camera
IC that corresponds to the shooting mode in which you want to use the card function
Just insert the card and the shooting mode function
Is it already built into the camera or IC car
Can be used for the first time by attaching
It is most desirable if you do not need to be aware of the distinction.
The present invention needs to make the user aware of such a thing.
So that there is no Also, the present invention supports a plurality of shooting modes.
To be able to take pictures.

[0004]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the camera according to the present invention performs photographing in a predetermined photographing mode.
A mounting part capable of mounting an accessory having a memory for storing a program for performing the shooting , a signal transmission unit for transmitting signals between the mounted accessory and the camera body, and shooting in a specific shooting mode. a body-side memory are pre-stores the program for performing, via the signal transmitting means, it can be executed by a program in the memory of the mounted accessories
If the shooting mode is the same as the shooting mode that can be executed by the program stored in the main body memory, shooting based on the program in the main body memory is performed.
Enables shooting by mode, and in case of a mismatch, shooting based on the program in the memory of the attached accessory
And control means for enabling shooting in a mode . In this case, a plurality of the main body side memories may be provided.

[0005]

According to the configuration of such a camera, for example, when an accessory having a program in the memory that matches the program stored in the main body side memory is mounted , a shooting mode based on the program in the main body side memory is performed.
If you remove the accessory from the mounting part and install another accessory (that is, a card with a memory that stores a program different from the program in the main unit memory), you will be able to take In the shooting mode based on the program in the memory of the accessory
Can be taken . When a plurality of the main body side memories are provided in advance, a program having another function can be added by the number of the increased memories.

[0006]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 and 2 are external views of the camera body.
The user turns on the main switch 11 provided on the upper part of the housing 10 of the camera and presses the shutter button 12 while taking a picture of the subject from the finder 13 to take a picture. At this time, photometry, distance measurement, and the like are performed with the shutter button 12 lightly pressed, and when the shutter button 12 is pressed in this state, the shutter is released and shooting is performed. The IC card 14 is attached to the camera body by inserting it into the card holder 15, and can be removed from the camera body by operating the card eject lever 16. Signal transmission contact 14a is an IC card
When the card 14 is mounted on the card holder 15, it is configured to come into contact with contacts (not shown) of the main body provided in the holder. Signals between the IC card 14 and the camera body are provided through these contacts. Is exchanged. IC card
The mounting of 14 is displayed on the liquid crystal display unit 17. The function of the card can be turned ON / OFF with the card function key 18. The composite key 19 on the side of the card holder 15 is used to enable a card function in the camera body described later.

FIG. 3 shows a hardware configuration for controlling the card. The IC card 14 is surrounded by a dotted line in the figure. The IC card 14 comprises a control microcomputer (hereinafter referred to as "microcomputer") 20 and a ROM 21 in which a program for realizing a card function is incorporated. It is connected to the microcomputer 22 of the main body. The microcomputer 22 is controlled by four switches in the figure. The four switches are an S1 switch 23 for starting photometry and distance measurement, an S2 switch 24 for performing release, a composite key 19, and a card function key 18. The microcomputer 22 has a first card function written in advance.
The ROM 25 and the second ROM 26 are connected. These R
In the OM, for example, the function of the above-described auto bracket card and the function of a multiple exposure card that performs exposure a plurality of times without advancing the film are written.
When the composite key 19 is turned on, the ROM of the IC card 14 is
It is checked whether the contents of 21 and the contents of the first ROM 25 and the second ROM 26 of the camera body match, and if they match, the matching ROM is validated.
For example, if the contents of the first ROM 25 match the contents of the ROM 21, the first ROM 25 is validated. At this time, RO
M21 and the second ROM 26 are not valid. In this embodiment, the program installed in the ROM 21 in the IC card 14 is processed by the microcomputer 20, and the first R
Since the microcomputer 22 processes the programs stored in the OM 25 and the second ROM 26, the microcomputer 20 on the IC card side and the microcomputer 22 on the main body side have different processing languages even if they have the same processing language. May be provided. S1 switch 23 and S2 switch 24
Are operated by the same operation member, and the operation member is the shutter button 12 in FIG. Pressing the shutter button 12 lightly turns on the S1 switch 23, and pressing it further turns on the S2 switch 24. In addition, automatic exposure circuit 27 for exposure control, photometric circuit 28,
ISO sensitivity reading means 29 and display means 30 for displaying are also connected.

FIG. 4 shows a user's use procedure. In step # 2, the main switch of the camera is turned on. Then IC
Processing is divided as follows depending on whether no card is used, only one card is used, or two cards are used. If the card is not used in step # 3, the photographing operation can be performed as it is. Therefore, after pressing the S1 switch in step # 4 to start photometry and distance measurement, press the S2 switch in step # 5. Release the shutter and shoot.
If necessary, step # 4 and step # 5 are repeated to take a picture, and then the main switch is turned off in step # 6. Next, if only one card is to be used in step # 8, the card must be inserted into the card holder 15 in step # 9, and the card function must be enabled on the LCD display 17 of the camera in step # 10. Check. After that, if the normal photographing operation is performed, the card function becomes effective. Then, in step # 11, the S1 switch is pressed to start photometry and distance measurement, and then in step # 12, the S2 switch is pressed to release the shutter, and the photograph is taken. . If necessary, step # 11 and step # 12 are repeated to take a picture, and then the main switch is turned off in step # 13. If two cards are to be used, the card 1 is mounted on the card holder 15 in step # 15, and the composite key is turned on in step # 16. Thereby, the function of the card 1 and the ROM of the camera body are
It is checked whether the card function written in the ROM matches the card function, and the operation of the ROM corresponding to the card 1 is enabled.
After confirming that the function of the card 1 written in the ROM of the main unit is enabled on the display of the liquid crystal display unit 17 of the camera in step # 17, the card 1 is removed from the card holder 15 in step # 18. However, if the function of the card 1 mounted on the card holder 15 is not previously written in the ROM of the main body when the composite key is turned on, the function of the ROM of the main body is not valid. Only one function can be used. Body R
If the card function written in the OM becomes valid, then in step # 19, the card 2 having another function (function different from the first and second ROMs 25 and 26) is inserted into the card holder.
15 and in step # 20 the camera's liquid crystal display 1
Confirm that the card function on the card holder 15 side is also effective by the display of 7. After that, if a normal photographing operation is performed, the two card functions become valid.
After pressing the 1 switch to start photometry and ranging, press the S2 switch in step # 22 to release the shutter,
Shoot. If necessary, step # 21 and step # 22 are repeated to perform photographing, and then the main switch is turned off in step # 23.

FIG. 5 shows a flowchart of the basic control of the microcomputer 22 provided in the camera body described above. At the start of step # 31, the main switch of the camera is ON
are doing. The microcomputer 22 is always ON / O of the S1 switch.
If the FF state is to be detected and the S1 switch is ON in step # 32, an automatic exposure calculation described later is performed in step # 33, and if the S2 switch is pressed in this, the photographing is performed. Thereafter, the flow returns to step # 32 to detect the state of the S1 switch again. If the S1 switch has not been turned on in step # 32, the variable N for setting the number of shots is set to 0 in step # 34, and the on / off state of the composite key is checked in step # 35. If the composite key is ON, a composite process described later is performed in step # 36. Thereafter, the flow returns to step # 32, and the state of the S1 switch is checked again. If the composite key is OFF in step # 35, step #
At 37, the ON / OFF state of the card function key is checked. If the card function key is ON, the display switching process is performed in step # 38, and if it is OFF, the process returns to step # 32. The detection of the state of the S1 switch in step # 32 continues until the main switch is turned off.

FIG. 6 shows a flowchart of the above automatic exposure calculation. In the figure, the microcomputer 22 captures the brightness value BV of the subject from the photometric circuit 28 in step # 42, captures the ISO sensitivity information SV of the film from the ISO sensitivity reading means 29 in step # 43, and sets the exposure shift amount in step # 44. △
Set EV to 0. In step # 45, the camera function for shifting the exposure is
Judge whether the card is in the OM or any of the cards attached to the external card holder 15 (if no card is used, neither, check only one if only one card is used) Yes, if any, step # 4
In step 6, the exposure shift amount ΔEV is set, and if neither is set, nothing is performed. In step # 47, set the exposure value EV to EV = BV +
Calculated from SV + △ EV. And in step # 48,
Judgment is made as to whether the card function that requires special settings of aperture and shutter speed is in either the ROM of the enabled camera body or the card attached to the external card holder 15 If it is not used, it is neither, and if only one card is used, only one card is checked.) If there is, at step # 49, the control aperture value AVC and the exposure control data, which are data of exposure control from EV in the card program, are output. The control shutter speed TVC is calculated, and the microcomputer 22 of the camera body receives the data AVC and TVC in step # 50. Meanwhile, step # 48
If there is no function of setting the aperture and the shutter speed, the control aperture value AVC and the control shutter speed TVC are obtained from the EV in step # 51. At step # 52, it is determined whether or not the S2 switch is ON.
In step 3, exposure is performed based on the data AVC and TVC, the shutter is released in step # 54, and shooting is performed. In step # 55, the number of shots N is set to N + 1. In step # 56, the process returns to the main control. . S2 switch OFF
In this case, nothing is done, and the process returns to the main control in step # 56.

The composite processing when the composite key is turned on in FIG. 5 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. In the above description, as in this flowchart, the microcomputer on the main unit side
This control is based on 22. This time, in order to clarify the exchange with the external card, especially the expression of the microcomputer on the main body side is used. First, in step # 62, it is determined whether a card is loaded in the card holder 15. At this time, if the card is mounted, the mounting of the external card is displayed by another control. The display is shown in FIG. In this example, "br A" and "[CARD]" indicating that the auto bracket card is installed and the auto bracket function of the external card is enabled are displayed once, and then "[CAR
D] ”only. If the card is loaded in step # 62, the main body side microcomputer 22 checks in step # 63 whether the program of the card loaded in the card holder 15 matches the program written in the first ROM 25 of the main body. If they match, the program in the first ROM 25 of the main unit is validated in step # 64, and it is displayed in step # 66 that the program of the card function of the camera main unit is valid. The display is shown in FIG. This means that the function of the auto bracket card exists on both the external card side and the camera body side. Step # 6
If the program of the card mounted on the card holder 15 in step 3 does not match the program written in the first ROM 25 of the main unit, in step # 66 the second ROM 2 of the main unit
See if it matches 6 programs. If they match, the program in the second ROM 26 of the camera body is validated in step # 67, and it is displayed in step # 68 that the program of the card function of the camera body is valid. The display is as shown in FIG. 8B as in step # 65. Step # 62
When the card is not loaded in the card holder 15 in step # 63 or when the function of the external card does not match the first ROM 25 or the second ROM 26 of the main unit in step # 63 and step # 66, the main unit which was enabled in step # 69 Is invalidated, and the display is deleted in step # 70. When no card is inserted, the data is erased as shown in FIG. If a card is inserted but the function of the card does not match the ROM of the main body, the display shows that only the external card is valid, as shown in FIG. In FIG. 8, (d) is a display when the card is removed after the card function of the main body ROM is enabled in step # 18 of FIG. Since the card function program in the main unit ROM is valid, "BT" indicating that the main unit has a card function is displayed. (E) is a display when another card is inserted in step # 19 of FIG. For example, if a portrait card is attached, "Port" and "[CARD]" indicating that the portrait function of the external card is valid are displayed once, as in FIG. There is also a card function on the side, so "BT [CAR
D] ”. As described above, when the user activates the ROM of the main body of the card function to be used or inserts the card function into the card holder 15 as an external card, the user proceeds with the operation while checking the liquid crystal display unit 17 of the camera.

The display switching process in FIG. 5 will be described with reference to FIG. 9 showing an actual display. When the function of the external card is valid, that is, when the card is mounted on the card holder 15 and the card function of the camera body is also valid and the two card functions can be used, the user operates the card function key 18. By pressing, the function to be used can be selected. Usually, when the card function of the main body is enabled and another card is mounted, the display of the external card and the main body function: ON is displayed, and both functions are valid. In the figure, both functions of a portrait card and an auto bracket card are provided in the card and the main body, respectively. Here, when the card function key 18 is pressed once, the display is as follows, and only the function of the portrait card, which is the function of the external card, is enabled. Also, the card function key 18
By pressing once, the display becomes as follows, and only the function of the auto bracket card, which is a function of the main body side, is enabled. If pressed once more, both functions are disabled and the display looks like this. Pressing the key once again returns to the state, and each time the card function key 18 is pressed, the state of ~ is similarly repeated.

Further, in the hardware configuration of the present embodiment, the first and second main units are changed by changing the control method.
It is possible to realize a total of three functions, that is, two functions of the second ROMs 25 and 26 and one function of the external card, and it is expected that the photographing range can be further expanded. still,
Although the case where two ROMs are provided as the main body side has been described as an example, the number of the main body side ROMs need not be limited to two, and it is needless to say that only one main ROM may be provided or three or more ROMs may be provided. . In this case, as the number of ROMs on the main body increases, the number of card functions that operate for one shooting can be increased.

In the above, which function is enabled in the relationship between the IC card and a plurality of memories in the main body when one IC card is mounted has been described. Then, a plurality of IC cards can be mounted at the same time to expand the function. For example, FIG. 10 is a diagram schematically showing only a ROM having a hardware configuration in which two IC cards and five ROMs are provided in a main body. Here, the purpose is to realize two functions at the same time. The hatched lines in the figure indicate the ROMs whose functions are enabled.
The two-dot chain line indicates that the ROM of the IC card matches the ROM of the main unit, and that the ROM of the main unit is valid. RO in IC card actually used
Combinations of M and the ROM of the main unit are shown in FIGS.
become that way.

[0015]

As described above, according to the present invention,
By attaching accessories, the accessories have
Shooting in shooting mode executed by the program is possible
Function, but the program is installed on the camera body in advance.
If it is installed, use it.
This is equivalent to what the user has specified, while the camera book
The program is not pre-installed on your body
If not, the program (and thus the new shooting mode)
Is newly added. This is for users
If you try to get the camera to shoot in that shooting mode
Whether or not a program for installing
You do not need to know anything, just
You only have to attach the Sesary to the camera body.
You. In addition, based on the operation of the selection operation member, the main body side
The program stored in the memory and the
Both programs stored in the accessory's memory
Shooting based on the program was set by the setting means
In some cases, shooting at a higher altitude and according to the user's preference can be performed. Further, by increasing the number of memories in the main body, it is possible to increase the number of programs that can be used in one shooting.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external view of a camera body.

FIG. 2 is an external view of a camera body.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a hardware configuration for controlling a card.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a flowchart of a user use procedure.

FIG. 5 is a view showing a flowchart of basic control.

FIG. 6 is a view showing a flowchart of automatic exposure calculation.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a flowchart of a composite process.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a display state during compound processing.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a display state in a display switching process.

FIG. 10 is a diagram schematically illustrating control of a ROM in an extended hardware configuration.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 Housing of camera body 11 Main switch 12 Shutter button 13 Viewfinder 14 IC card 14a Signal transmission contact 15 Card holder 16 Card eject lever 17 LCD display 18 Card function key 19 Composite key 20 Microcomputer in card 21 ROM in card 22 Main unit side Microcomputer 23 S1 switch 24 S2 switch 25 First ROM 26 Second ROM 27 Automatic exposure circuit 28 Photometry circuit 29 ISO sensitivity reading means 30 Display means

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Kiyoshi Nishitani 2-3-13 Azuchicho, Chuo-ku, Osaka-shi Osaka International Building Minolta Camera Co., Ltd. (72) Hidehiko Fujii 2-chome Azuchicho, Chuo-ku, Osaka-shi No. 3-13 Osaka International Building Minolta Camera Co., Ltd. (56) References JP-A-2-6932 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G03B 7/00

Claims (9)

(57) [Claims] 1. A mounting part capable of mounting an accessory having a memory for storing a program for performing shooting in a predetermined shooting mode, and a part for transmitting signals between the mounted accessory and the camera body. A signal transmission unit, a main body side memory in which a program for performing photographing in a specific photographing mode is stored in advance, and the program can be executed by a program in a memory of an attached accessory via the signal transmission unit. Shooting
When the shadow mode is the same as the shooting mode that can be executed by the program stored in the main body memory, the shooting mode based on the program in the main body memory is performed.
To allow the shooting by the soil, when the disagreement is based on the program in the memory of the mounted accessories shooting mode
And a control means for enabling photographing with the camera. 2. The camera according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of said main body side memories are provided. 3. The camera according to claim 1, wherein said control means is a microcomputer. 4. A photographing mode which can be further executed and the
4. The camera according to claim 1, further comprising display means for displaying a location of a memory in which a program executing the photographing mode is stored. 5. The camera according to claim 1, wherein the accessory mounted on the mounting unit is an IC card. 6. A signal is transmitted between a mounting section for mounting an accessory having a memory for storing a program for enabling shooting in a predetermined shooting mode and the mounted accessory. Signal transmitting means, a main body side memory in which a program for performing photographing in a specific photographing mode is stored in advance, and control means for controlling a camera. based on the information conveyed Te, loaded and stored in the accessory memory with a program therefore executable become photographing mode of the machine
Ability, when different from the function of the imaging mode executed by a program stored in the body-side memory, the camera is based on the program in the accessory memory Taking
Control means for performing control changed so as to enable photographing in a shadow mode . 7. After the selection operation member and the control unit perform the control based on information stored in a memory of an accessory mounted on the mounting unit, the control unit controls the selection operation member based on an operation of the selection operation member. Switch to shooting mode based on the program stored in the main unit memory
Imaging and by, the shooting mode based on the program stored in the memory of the accessories that are attached to the mounting portion
Shooting based on the program stored in the main unit memory.
The shooting mode and the accessories attached to the
Both shooting modes based on programs stored in memory
7. The camera according to claim 6, further comprising: setting means for selecting a desired one of the photographing performed by the camera. 8. The photographing mode includes a shutter speed and an aperture.
Automatic exposure control mode for automatically setting the exposure
The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein
Camera. 9. The photographing mode is for photographing a plurality of images.
And a mode for performing the operation.
Item 8. The camera according to any one of Items 7.