JPH0456941A - Data recorder for camera - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a data recording device for a camera that records time data such as year, month, day, etc. on an image recording means such as film.
In particular, the present invention relates to a data recording device for a camera that records the unit of time data in the image recording means at the same time as the time data.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, as a data recording device that records time data such as year, month, day, etc. on an image recording means such as film, for example, a data imprinting device for a camera has come to imprint the date of the day at the time of shooting. However, what is imprinted is only the numbers that represent the date, and there is no unit for the date, so people who see the finished print for the first time may not understand what the imprinted numbers mean. was there.

Therefore, in order to solve this problem, it may be possible to imprint the unit at the same time as the date, but in this case, it is difficult for people who are familiar with the meaning of the imprinted numbers or who are accustomed to seeing them. On the contrary, the notation of the unit may be a nuisance, or the unit may be, for example, “year, month, day”.
If it was written in kanji, Japanese people would understand it, but foreigners would have no idea what it meant.

[Purpose of the invention]

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances.
Data recording means for recording time data such as days and units of the time data on an image recording means, and switching for switching the way the image recording means records the units for the same type of time data. It is easy to read for people who do not understand the meaning of the numbers in the time data recorded on the image recording means, and for people who are familiar with the meaning of the numbers in the time data or are used to seeing them, and even for people who are familiar with the meaning of the numbers in the time data. The aim is to provide a camera data recording device that will not cause any inconvenience to people in any country.

[Example] A first embodiment of the present invention will be explained with reference to FIGS. 1 to 13.

In Figure 1, 1 is a microcomputer that controls the sequence, 2
is R that stores programs and character font patterns.
OM13 is a RAM that stores data.

4 is a data bus, 5 is an address bus, and 6 is a control bus. 7 is a battery that supplies power to the electrical system; 8 is a voltage detection circuit that detects the battery voltage and generates a reset pulse when the battery is turned on or when the battery voltage falls below a predetermined level; 9 is a voltage detection circuit that synchronizes the system and at the same time An oscillation circuit that generates pulses that serve as a reference for the watch and calendar, 10 a frequency divider circuit that divides the output of the oscillation circuit 9 and generates daily pulses, 11 a day counter, 12 a month counter, and 13 a year counter. The respective carry-in and carry-out terminals are connected to each other so as to function as an auto-calendar together with a month-end correction circuit (not shown). In addition, each output is a BCDX 2-digit counter signal to each port DAYL, DAYH, MTHL of the microcomputer I.

Input to MTHH, YERL, YERH and LC
It is also input to the D driver 14.

Here, L and H indicate the 1st digit and the 10th digit, respectively.

Reference numeral 15 denotes an LCD display board placed on the top surface of the camera, etc., for displaying the imprinted calendar confirmation and message selection status, and as shown enlarged in FIG. and a message selection state display section 15d.

Next, 16 is a camera control circuit, which controls AE and AF by suppressing a shirt release switch (not shown).

A series of camera sequences such as shutter, winding, and rewinding are controlled according to known methods. Reference numeral 17 denotes a driver for a wind motor 18 which winds the film after the photographing operation is completed according to instructions from the camera control circuit.

19 is a message selection switch for changing the content of the message to be imprinted on the film; 20 is a quinary count for counting the message mode; each time the message selection switch 19 is pressed, the count is changed by 1. . This count value is input as 3-bit binary data to the input port MES of the microcomputer I, but at the same time it is also input to the LCD driver that displays the message selection status.

Reference numeral 21 denotes an imprint mode changeover switch for switching between a calendar and a message, and its state is input to the input port CAL of the microcomputer 1 and also to the LCD driver 14.

22 is a D-flip-flop that monitors the input of the imprinting clock; 23 is a photointerrupter that detects a film feeding pulse, which will be described later; 23a is an LED that is a component thereof;
Further, 23b is a phototransistor.

24 is a driver for the LED 23a; 25 is a rotary plate that generates rotating pulses in conjunction with film feeding; 26 is a photointerrupter pulse detection circuit that converts the AC signal output from the photointerrupter into a logic signal; 27 is a pulse detection circuit 26 This is a pulse generation circuit that outputs a one-shot pulse for a predetermined time upon input of a falling pulse. This predetermined time is determined by, for example, 3-bit film sensitivity information input from the camera control circuit 16.

28 is an inverter, 30 to 38 are three-man power AND gates, 39 is an 8-channel LED driver, 40 to 48 are imprinted dot LEDs, and 49 to 51 are pull-up resistors for each switch. 57 to 59 are correction switches corresponding to each digit of the calendar, and 60 to 62 are correction pulse generation circuits which input correction pulses to each counter by inputting these switches. 6
Reference numeral 3 designates a switch for switching whether or not to imprint a unit on the date imprint, and 64 represents an I and CD segment that light up when the switch is set.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an outline of the dot scan imprinting method, and the same components as in FIG. 1 are given the same numbers.

40 to 48 are LEDs arranged in a row, 51 and 53 are rollers that rotate at the same time as the film moves, 52 is a film take-up spool, 54 is a cartridge, 55 is a photographing lens, and 56 is a film. 25 is a pulse generating rotary plate integrally connected to the roller 51, and 23 is a transmission type photocoupler.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the LCD display board and switches installed on the outer surface of the camera, and 15a is the year digit display part of the calendar;
Reference numerals 15b and 15c are month digit and day digit display portions of the calendar, respectively. 15d-1 to 15d-5 are message type display segments that light up in the message film imprint mode. The content of the message is printed on the surface of the camera on the right side, and by instructing one of these to light up, the user can confirm which message is currently selected and will be imprinted on film.

Next, the switches around the LCD display will be explained. Reference numeral 19 denotes a message selection switch that becomes effective when the message mode is selected by the imprint mode changeover (date/message changeover) switch 21, which is a switch for selecting an imprinted message.
At the same time, the currently selected message can be confirmed by sequentially switching over the arrow segments 15d-1 to 15d-5 and lighting them up on the LCD display. Each time the imprint mode changeover switch 21 of this example is pressed, the imprint content can be switched between a calendar and a message, and when the calendar is selected (the state shown in FIG. 3), the imprint mode is set to 15d-
All of the arrow segments 15d-5 to 1 are turned off, and conversely, if the message is selected, 15a to 15c and 1
The calendar display sections 5e are each turned off. 57-5
Reference numeral 9 denotes a switch for modifying the date imprinted calendar, and is configured to correspond to each digit of the "year", "month", and "day" and can be directly modified.

FIG. 4 is a timing chart showing the timing of film feeding pulses and font output during imprinting.

Figure 5 shows "...C, B, A" on the photo print.
FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating the order in which fonts are output when displayed as (see FIG. 5B).

As shown in the figure, in this embodiment, the font output is at the right end of the character string to be imprinted in Figure 5 (B) depending on the placement positions of the camera cartridge, take-up spool (none of which are shown), and dot LED. Font data A at the right end (left end in FIG. 5(A)) of the character rAJ (DiGiTO). The configuration is such that the output is performed in order. Also, on the left end (9X
7) Shows the microcontroller port from which data is output when imprinting with dot font, starting from the bottom. -4 bits of D3 are OPLEDM port, D4~
4 bits of D7 are 0PLEDL port, topmost glue. −
4 bits of D3 (of which D1 to D3 are unused) are each assigned a 0PLEDH port.

FIG. 6 shows part of the font data stored in the font data table in the ROM. The address is indicated by 12 bits, and the data is written in 8-bit units.The bit corresponding to the point portion is "1" and the other bits are "0". In other words, H' 7AO ~ H' 7AF is “
A" font H'7BO~H' 7BF is B", H
'7CO~H' 7CF is "C", H' 7DO~H
' 7DF is "D",..., H'860~H" 8
6F is "M"H'8BO-H' 8BF is "R", H
'8FO-H' and 8FF respectively indicate data of the font "V".

H'9BO-F is "year", H9CO-F is "month", H'
9DO to F indicate "day".

FIGS. 7 to 11 are flowcharts and tables illustrating the sequence of the program. The following Table 1 shows the input ports of the microcontroller, the number of bits, and their contents;
Table 3 is a table showing data memory in RAM and its contents.
Table 4 is a table showing addresses of font data in the ROM and fonts stored therein.

The stored fonts are numbers 0 to 9, alphabets A to Z, and 10 types of symbols, for a total of 46 fonts.

Table 5 is a table showing the numerical value of the message counter and the contents of the message corresponding to the count value.

Table 2 In Table 2, the blank section is the section where the year 2 digits are entered.Now, in the above configuration, when the camera power is turned on, the voltage detection circuit 8 outputs a reset pulse. When this reset pulse is input to the microcomputer 1, the sequence starts from 5TART in FIG. In addition, this reset pulse is simultaneously applied to the frequency dividing circuit 10, year, month, and day counters 11 to 11.
13. Since the message is also input to the message counter 20, these are also reset. First, in step #001, R
Clear the memory in the AM area and proceed to step #00.
Dot LED lighting control port (OPLE
DL-H) and resets the D-flip-flop of the imprint pulse detector in step #005.

Next, in step #007, the process waits for data imprinting to be enabled. Now, when the release switch (not shown) is pressed with film loaded in the camera and shooting is completed, the camera control circuit 16 outputs a signal to drive the wind motor to wind the film, as shown in FIG. 1, and the film is wound. However, this motor drive signal is input into the microcomputer 1 from the 1PDEN port, and 1PDEN=1, and the sequence proceeds to step #008. In step #008, the imprint mode is determined, and if it is determined to be date calendar mode (that is, 1PcAL=1), step #0
Step 11 sets the address of the font for imprinting only the calendar data.

Here, first load the first digit of the calendar day digit (DAYL) into the middle address (PDOM) for font instruction of the first digit of imprinting (DiGiTl), and then load 7 into the upper address. ROM photo table (
Referring to Table 4), if the upper address is 7, the font with the same number as the value of the middle address is stored, so in this case, the font specification for the lowest digit to be imprinted is the first digit of the calendar day digit (DAYL). The value is . Similarly, the next digit to be imprinted is the value of the 10th digit (DAYH) of the calendar month digit. After that, in the same way, DiGiT4 records the first digit of the moon phase,
DiGiT5 has the 10th digit of the moon phase, DiGiT7 has the 1st digit of the year, DiGiT8 has the 10th digit of the year, DiG
iT9 has "' (single quotation), and then in step #O12, it is determined whether or not to imprint units. If the selection switch 63 is off, it is determined that there is no unit mode, and when the switch 63 is on, it is determined that it is mode with units. Ru.

If it is the unitless mode, a blank font address is loaded for the 0th, 3rd, and 6th digits of imprinting in #014. On the other hand, if the unit is in unit mode, it is determined in #013 whether the unit is a kanji character or an alphabetic character, and if the switch 68 is on, kanji character units are imprinted, and the font address loaded into the 0th digit in step #015 is 9D, that is, the kanji character. "Day",
The third digit will be loaded with the font address of 9C, ie, the kanji "month", and the sixth digit will be loaded with the font address of 9B, ie, the kanji "year".

On the other hand, if the switch 68 is off in #013, it is determined that it is a non-kanji mode, and in #016, the units are "D", "M", and "Y".
is loaded. In the case of the kanji character mode, this indicates that the kanji characters "Year", "Month", and "Day" are imprinted on the external LCD display 15 by a hard logic circuit (not shown) (lights up so that the m> mark 65 lights up.Unit) FIG. 11 shows examples of photographic prints of kanji and alphabetic characters with and without .

On the other hand, in step #008 it is determined that it is message mode (iP
cAL=0), steps #009 to #010
By determining the value of the message counter 20, the type of message to be imprinted is determined, and an address for specifying the font is set. FIG. 10 shows each imprint message and the font address set in each imprint column.

In this example, if the content of the message counter is O, for example, data for each year for each message "HAPPY BIRTHDAY" is imprinted as follows. In other words, Di
For GiTO and DiGiTl, set the fonts (yL and yH) for the 1st digit of the year and the 10th digit of the year at that time, set "'" (single quotation) for DiGiT2, and "YADHTRI" for DiGiT3 to DIG117.
B-YPPAH-" (= indicates a blank) and the font address are loaded, and in this case, the font is set from the last character as described above, so on the lint, r = HAPPY, = BIRTHDAY' 88” (
Note: If the year digit on the calendar is 88, yL=yH=8)
The font is specified so that this is displayed. Similarly, if the message counter is 1, rMERRY.

CHRISTMAS'VHyL J, counter value is 2
Then, “,=L= C0NGRATULATIONS!J
, if the counter value is 3, then r, =-, = 1. = LOV
E, = YOU! J, if the counter value is 4, then “-・
...-THANK-YOU! J is imprinted. Here, if the counter values are 2, 3, and 4,
It will be understood from FIG. 10 that the year of the date data is not imprinted.

Next, when the mode is determined and the font is specified as described above, the DATSET subroutine is called in step #'017 to output the actual font.

The DATSET subroutine is illustrated by the flowchart of FIG. First, in step #100, the first digit to be imprinted (the least significant digit on the print), the middle digit of the DiGiO font specification address; the contents of PDOM,
Middle digit of a 12-bit (4 bits x 3) counter that specifies the address when referring to the data table in the ROM; loaded into the DACM.

Next, in step #101, after similarly loading the contents of the upper digit PDOH of the font designation address into the upper digit DACH of the data counter, the FNTOUT subroutine for actually outputting the font is called. Here, if you want to output the "A" font with DiGiTO, DACH = 7 and DA to DACM and DACH, respectively.
Let CM=A.

Next, the FNTOUT subroutine will be explained with reference to the flowchart of FIG. First, in step #201, the lower digit (DACL) of the data counter is set to 0, and in B202, the D-flip-flop 22 for detecting the imprint pulse is
The reset is canceled by setting 0PLAR3T=L. Next, in step #203, the data counter; DAC
The lower 4 bits (DACL), which are the contents of the ROM address data specified by , are output to the 0PLEDL port. In other words, to explain the case of outputting "A" with the aforementioned DiGiTO, the data counter; the content of the DAC is H'7A.
O, so the lower 4 bits of the data at that ROM address are B'1llll (see the font diagram of "A" at the upper left corner of FIG. 6).

Next, in step #204, the RO specified by the data counter
Top 4 contents of data stored in M address
Output bit (DACH) to 0PLEDH port (
In the case of the font “A” mentioned above, it becomes B10011)
. Furthermore, in step #205, the lower digit of the data counter;
The lower 4-bit data of the ROM address specified by the data counter with 8 added to the ACL is output to the 0PLEDH port. In the case of "A", DAC = H "7A8, and the lower 4 bits data becomes B10011. In the embodiment, the first 3 bits are not connected to the output port, but in this way, in steps #203, B204, and B206, the LED lighting control output port The state is such that font data is being output to (OPLEDL-H).The sequence subtracts 7 from DACL in step #207, and waits for input of the rising edge of the imprint pulse in step #208.

When the rising edge enters the clock of the D-flip-flop 22, its Q output becomes H (IPEDECT=H),
Proceed to step #209 and reset the D-flip-flop. Here, the actual lighting time of the LED is as shown in the timing chart in Figure 4.
DHO), the imprint pulse invert signal, and the imprint enable signal (see Figure 1), so the LED lighting period is the imprint pulse for the bit outputted to the font output port. (DCL
K) is limited to the low level period. Also step #20
8 and D flip-flop 22, the imprint pulse (DC
LK) The rising edge is detected in font 1.
This is to detect the end of the line LED lighting and set the next font data.

Next, in step #210, the lower digit of the data counter; DA
It is determined whether CL has reached 8 or not, and if it is 8 or less, the processing from step 201 onward is performed again. In other words, from then on, add 8 to the lower digit of the data counter; DACM in the previous flow so that the next line of the font is output (B205).
Since 7 is subtracted (B207), the result is +1, and the data counter (DAC) specifies the data of the next column. In the case of "A", (DAC)=H'7A1.

Here, when the output of the last example is finished (for “A”, H
'7A7 and H'7AF), DACL becomes 8, branches at step #210, ends subroutine FNTOUT, and returns.

When the imprint font for one character is finished outputting in this way, D
Since ACL=8, FNTOU starts from step #21O.
Excluding the T subroutine, the font of the next character (DiGiTl) is output from step #103. The subsequent output of each character is the same as in the case of DiGiTO, and DATS
The configuration is such that the start address of the font for each character is set in the ET subroutine, and the font is actually output to the LED output port by calling the FNTOUT subroutine.

Here, the last column (A7) of the font for each character contains a blank pattern for one column, so (DACL=H゛7)
or H'F) One dot of blank space will be inserted between each imprint character.

Now, after outputting up to the last character (DiG, iT] 7), the DATSET subroutine returns and the 9th
#O18 in the figure: Wait until the wind motor 13 stops and imprinting is disabled. When it is disabled, the state waits for the next imprint to be made again (see #007) - the imprinting sequence is as follows. finish.

In addition, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, when the imprint mode is calendar, only the order of "year, month, day" is prepared;
Single quotation mark 1 indicating c and year display
Although only section 5e is provided, additional segments may be added for displaying English text strings, time, etc.

Next, FIG. 12 shows a configuration diagram of the second embodiment.

In the first embodiment, the imprinting is switched using a switch, but this can be realized by setting switching data in the EEFROM.

Providing a switch to determine whether or not to imprint units such as "year", "month", and "day" will increase costs when switching between domestic and export specifications of the camera. On the other hand, in recent years cameras often adjust their functions and switch specifications by rewriting the data in the EEPROM, so there is an advantage that the process does not become complicated if the imprinted contents are rewritten at the same time. be.

In FIG. 12, 66 is an EEPROM. , 12th
In the figure, other configurations are the same as in FIG. 1, so the same reference numerals are given and explanations are omitted.

The imprint switching method when using an EEPROM operates as follows.

Specify which unit is to be copied into the memory of the EEPROM 66. Set an area (address) and write unit identification data to that address.

At the time of imprinting, the microcomputer 1 reads the data at that address, determines the set unit, and performs imprinting.

The flowchart will be explained with reference to FIG.

In step #012', EE is used to determine the presence or absence of a unit.
Give the address where the unit presence/absence data is stored in the PROM 66, read the unit presence/absence data, and step #01
In step 3', the address where the unit type data is stored is given, and the type data is read. Note that other steps are the same as those in FIG. 7, so the same step numbers are given and explanations are omitted.

In each of the above examples, switching between kanji and alphabetic characters is shown as a unit of time data such as year, month, day, etc., but this is not the addition or replacement of other characters or notation switching. It goes without saying that the present invention is equally applicable in any case.

Furthermore, in each of the embodiments described above, the units of time data such as year, month, day, etc. can be switched between two types: Chinese characters and alphabetical characters, but this is not just a switch between whether or not to include the units. Good too.

Furthermore, each of the above embodiments has been explained using an example in which data is imprinted on a film, but this is not applicable to magnetic tape,
It goes without saying that the present invention is equally applicable to other image recording means such as a flop disk.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, according to the present invention, in a data recording device for a camera that records time data such as year, month, day, etc. on an image recording means, the meaning of the numbers of the time data recorded on the image recording means is Easy to read for those who don't understand (for those who know the meaning of the numbers in the time data)
Furthermore, it can be made so that it does not cause any inconvenience to the people of each country, and its effectiveness is extremely high.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Figures 1 to 11 are diagrams relating to the first embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1 is an overall circuit diagram of the apparatus of the first embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 2 is a dot matrix for inputting characters and data onto a film screen. FIG. 3 is a detailed view of the liquid crystal display board 15 provided on the top of the camera for checking imprinted characters and data, and its surroundings; FIG. 4 is a timing chart for imprinting. , Figure 5(A)
is a diagram explaining the output order of fonts, Figure 5 (B) is a diagram showing a photograph of the imprinted state, Figure 6 is a diagram showing the description state of the font data table in the ROM, and Figure 8 is a diagram showing the correspondence between message mode and store data; FIGS. 7, 9, and 10 are flowcharts showing each process of the first embodiment; FIG. 11 is a diagram showing the imprinting state of the unit; FIG. 12 is an overall circuit diagram of a second embodiment of the device of the present invention, and FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing the operation of the device of FIG. 12. 1... Microcomputer 2... ROM 3... RAM 4-6... Bus 7... Battery 8... Voltage detection circuit 9... 08C 10... Frequency dividing circuit 11-13. ... Day, month, year counter 14 ... LCD driver 15 ... LCD 16 ... Camera control circuit 17 ... Motor driver 18 ... Winding motor 19 ... Message switching 5W 20 ... Message Counter 21...imprint mode selection switch 22...
D-flip-flop 23...Photo ink blocker 26...Interrupter detection circuit 30-38...AND gates 40-48...Dot-shaped LEDs 57-59...Calendar correction switch DCLK...
Imprint pulse t Fig. 5 CB) Fig. 8

Claims (4)

[Claims] (1) a data recording means for recording time data such as year, month, day, etc. and the unit of the time data on an image recording means;
A data recording device for a camera, comprising a switching means for switching the way in which the units recorded by the image recording means are expressed for the same type of time data. (2) The data recording device for a camera according to claim (1), wherein the switching means includes means for eliminating the notation of the unit. (3) The data recording device for a camera according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the switching means is constituted by a switch. (4) A data recording device for a camera according to claim (1) or (2), wherein the switching means is constituted by an EEPROM.