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Description  |
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a storage device, and in particular,
relates to a photographic storage device able to store the photographic
information of a camera.
2. Description of the Related Art
Photographic information storage devices are known which are able to write
photographic information, such as the aperture value of a photographic
lens, to a memory inside the camera. Photographic information storage
devices are also known which transfer stored photographic information to
an external storage device outside the camera. In known photographic
information storage devices, when the photographer commands the writing of
the photographic information to the memory, the photographic information
is written to the memory with each frame photographed. When memory runs
out, the shutter release is disabled, and photography is no longer
possible. At this point, the photographer is able to continue taking
pictures, without writing photographic information, by performing an
operation which interrupts the writing of the photographic information to
the memory. Further, the photographer may also clear past entries from
memory, by deleting or transferring photographic information, to free up
space in the memory. However, when the writing of the photographic
information to the memory is interrupted, even if space is created in the
memory through the deletion of the photographic information or by transfer
of the photographic information to an external storage device, writing of
the photographic information is not restarted unless the photographer
cancels the writing interruption.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a
photographic information storage device for storing photographic
information in a memory which, even if storing of the photographic
information to the memory is interrupted, is able to enable storing of the
photographic information without a conscious operation by the
photographer.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in
part in the description which follows, and, in part, will be obvious from
the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention.
Objects of the present invention are achieved in a photographic information
storage device for a camera, the photographic information storage device
comprising a memory unit to store photographic information, and a control
unit to write the photographic information to the memory unit, the control
unit being adapted to interrupt the writing of photographic information to
the memory unit when the memory unit is full and automatically resume
writing of photographic information to the memory unit when the memory
unit has available space.
Objects of the present invention are further achieved in a photographic
information storage device for a photographic camera, the photographic
information storage device comprising a storage unit for storing
photographic information, a writing unit for writing the photographic
information to the storage device, a writing interruption unit for
interrupting the writing of the photographic information to the storage
device, a mode changing unit which enables writing to the storage device,
and a canceling unit which cancels the interruption of the writing of the
photographic information to the storage device when the writing
interruption unit interrupts the writing of the photographic information
to the storage device and the mode changing unit enables writing to the
storage unit.
Objects of the present invention are also achieved by a photographic
information storage device comprising a storage device for storing
photographic information regarding image information stored on a storage
medium, a storage command unit for commanding the storage of the
photographic information to the storage device, an interruption command
unit for commanding the interruption of storage of the photographic
information to the storage device when the storage device is full, a
canceling unit for canceling the interruption of storage of the
photographic information to the storage device when the full state of the
storage device has been cancelled by means of the reading in, or the
erasure, of stored data, a first identification unit for indicating
whether the photographic information may be stored, a second
identification unit for indicating whether the storage device is full, a
third identification unit for indicating whether the storage of the
photographic information has been interrupted, a first setting unit for
setting the first identification unit to indicate that the photographic
information may be stored in response to a storage command by the storage
command unit, a second setting unit for setting the second identification
unit to indicate that the storage device is full when there are no longer
any regions for storing data, a third setting unit for setting the third
identification unit to indicate that the storage of the photographic
information has been interrupted in response to an interruption command by
the interruption command unit, a storage execution unit for executing
storage of the photographic information in response to a photographic
operation when the first identification unit indicates that the
photographic information may be stored, the second identification unit
indicates that the storage device is not full, and the third
identification unit indicates that the storage of the photographic
information has not been interrupted, a storage interruption unit for
interrupting storage of the photographic information when the third
identification unit indicates that the storage of the photographic
information has been interrupted, a first restart unit for setting the
second identification unit to indicate that the storage device is not full
and setting the first identification unit to indicate the photographic
information may be stored when the second identification unit indicates
that the storage device is full and the third identification unit
indicates the storage of the photographic information has been
interrupted, and a second restart unit for setting the third
identification unit to indicate the storage of the photographic
information has not been interrupted when a new film is inserted.
Objects of the present invention are also achieved in a photographic
information storage device which is equipped with a storage unit for
storing photographic information, a writing unit for writing the
photographic information to the storage unit, a writing interruption unit
for interrupting the writing of the photographic information by the
writing unit, and a mode changing unit for changing the area of the
storage unit where the photographic information is written to a mode in
which writing of photographic information is again possible.
Objects of the present invention are also achieved in a photographic
information storage device for storing photographic information in a
camera wherein a canceling unit cancels an interruption of storing
photographic information when the film of the camera has been changed
after a mode changing unit has changed the mode.
Objects of the present invention are also achieved in a photographic
information storage device wherein a storage unit is located inside a
camera, and a mode changing unit, which, after the stored photographic
information has been transferred to an external storage device, enables
storing of further photographic information in the storage unit.
Objects of the present invention are also achieved in a photographic
information storage device which is equipped with a storage command unit
for controlling the storing of the photographic information, an
interruption command unit for interrupting the storage of the photographic
information, a canceling unit which cancels the storing of the
photographic information when the storage area for the photographic
information is insufficient, a first identification unit for determining
if photographic information can be stored, a second identification unit
for determining if the storage area for the photographic information is
insufficient, a third identification unit for determining whether the
storage of the photographic information is interrupted, a first setting
unit for setting the first identification unit to a storage mode in
response to a storage command of the storage command unit, a second
setting unit for setting the second identification unit to a storage area
insufficient mode when the storage area for the photographic information
is insufficient, a third setting unit for setting the third identification
unit to a storage interruption mode in response to an interruption command
of the interruption command unit, a storage execution unit for storing the
photographic information in response to the photographic operation when
the first identification unit is in storage mode, the second
identification unit is not in the storage area insufficient mode and the
third identification unit is not in a storage interruption mode, a storage
interruption unit for interrupting the storage of the photographic
information when the third identification unit is in the storage
interruption mode, a first restart unit for setting the second
identification unit to a mode which is not the storage area insufficient
mode and setting the first identification unit to the storage mode when
the storage area insufficient mode has been canceled by the canceling unit
when the second identification unit is in the storage area insufficient
mode and the third identification unit is in the storage interruption
mode, and a second restart unit for cancelling the setting of the storage
interruption mode of the third identification unit when the film is
changed.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become
apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of
the preferred embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings of which:
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the control system of a photographic
information storage device in accordance with a preferred embodiment of
the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a diagram of the structure of the memory of the photographic
information storage device in accordance with a preferred embodiment of
the present invention.
FIG. 3(a) is a diagram of a storage mode flag in the memory of the
photographic information storage device in accordance with a preferred
embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3(b) is a diagram explaining the storage mode flag in the memory of
the photographic information storage device in accordance with a preferred
embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3(c) is a diagram which indicates the camera's information storage
modes, which result from combinations of the respective bits in the
storage mode flag in the photographic information storage device in
accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a flow chart of the procedure for storing photographic
information in memory in the photographic information storage device in
accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is flow chart which shows the procedure for transferring
photographic information from memory to a Personal Computer in the
photographic information storage device in accordance with a preferred
embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a flow chart which shows processing when the film is loaded in a
camera equipped with the photographic information storage device in
accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred embodiments
of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the
accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like
elements throughout.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the control system of a photographic
information storage device in accordance with a preferred embodiment of
the present invention. The photographic information storage device in
accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present embodiment is for
use in a camera 1 and a personal computer 2 (hereinafter referred to as
"PC"). The PC 2 operates as a storage device for photographic information,
such as the shutter speed and aperture value, transferred from the camera
1 via a transfer cable 3. The camera 1 is equipped with a control device
11 which, in addition to executing the various computations and control
programs necessary for taking pictures, controls the storage of
photographic information to a photographic information memory 14. The
control device 11 also operates to transfer the photographic information
to the PC 2. A storage interruption button 12a, interrupts the storage of
photographic information in the memory 14. A display device 13 displays
the photographic information to the photographer.
The PC 2 is provided with a control device 21, which generally comprises a
microcomputer and peripheral components. A data storage start key 22
commands storage of the photographic information in the memory 14. A
transfer command key 23 transfers the photographic information which is
stored in the memory 14 to the PC 2. A storage device 24, which preferably
comprises a magnetic storage device such as a hard disk, stores the
transferred photographic information. The control device 21 is also able
to command the control device 11 to transfer the photographic information,
which is stored in the memory 14, to the PC 2.
FIG. 2 is a diagram of the structure of the memory of a photographic
information storage device in accordance with a preferred embodiment of
the present invention. The control device 11 assigns address 100h of the
memory 14 as the storage area for a storage mode flag and assigns address
200h through 3FFh as a photographic information storage area. The storage
mode flag at address 100h is used in performing control of photographic
information storage in 1-byte units. Film number data, which indicates the
film identification data of a first film roll, is stored at address 200h.
A shutter speed used for the first frame is stored at address 201h. An
aperture value used for the first frame is stored at address 202h. As each
frame is shot, the associated shutter speed and aperture value are
sequentially stored in the memory 14. When the last frame is shot, for
example the 36th frame, the shutter speeds and aperture values for the
36th frame are stored, and a specified byte of data (hereinafter referred
to as "END"), which designates the end of one roll of the film
photographic information, is written in the next available address. The
film photographic information for a second roll of film is stored in the
subsequent addresses in the same form as the first roll. Although not
shown in FIG. 2, an address counter, which stores the address where the
photographic information is written, is stored in a specified position in
the memory 14. The contents of the address counter are updated, in
sequence, each time the photographic information is written to the memory
14.
FIG. 3(a) is a diagram of a storage mode flag in the memory of a
photographic information storage device in accordance with a preferred
embodiment of the present invention. A bit 0 is a data storage bit, which
indicates whether the control device 11 is to store photographic
information in the memory 14. A bit 1 is a memory full bit, which
indicates whether space exists for storage of photographic information in
the memory 14. A bit 2 is a storage interruption bit, which indicates
whether the storage of photographic information in the memory 14 is to be
interrupted. The remaining 5 storage mode bits are not used in the above
embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3(b) is a diagram explaining the storage mode flag in the memory of a
photographic information storage device in accordance with a preferred
embodiment of the present invention. When the data storage bit is set to
"0", the photographic information is not stored in the memory 14.
Conversely, when the data storage bit is set to "1", the photographic
information is stored in the memory 14. When the memory full bit is set to
"0", space for storing photographic information remains in the memory 14.
Conversely, when the memory full bit is set to "1", no space for storing
photographic information remains in the memory 14. When the storage
interruption bit is set to "0", interruption of storage of photographic
information in the memory 14 is canceled, i.e., the storage of
photographic information is enabled. When the storage interruption bit is
set to "1", the storage of photographic information to the memory 14 is
interrupted.
FIG. 3(c) is a diagram which indicates the camera's information storage
modes, which result from combinations of the respective bits in the
storage mode flag in the photographic information storage device in
accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Mode 1 is
an initial mode, where storage of the photographed information in the
camera is not commanded, space for writing photographic information exists
in the memory 14, and storage interruption is not in effect. Mode 2 is a
data storage setting mode, which stores photographic information in the
memory 14. Mode 3 is a memory full status. Because there is no space in
the memory 14 for the storage of photographic information even though the
data storage bit is set, the memory full bit is set to "1", and shutter
release is prohibited. Mode 4 is a storage interruption mode, where
storage of photographic information to the memory 14 is interrupted in
order to allow photography, even with the memory 14 being full. Mode 4 is
entered by the pressing of the storage interruption button 12a. Mode 5 is
a photographic information transfer mode. After photographic information
has been transferred to the PC 2, depending on the storage mode flag, the
data storage bit is set to "1" and the memory full bit is cleared to "0",
if memory full status and storage interruption mode are in effect. The
memory full status is cleared through the transfer, but the storage
interruption bit is still set to "1", so storage of photographic
information is not performed, even if the release operation is performed.
Mode 6 is a storage mode used when a new film canister is loaded into the
camera 1. Restarting of photographic information storage occurs when the
storage interruption bit is cleared to "0" after the new film canister is
loaded and fed to the first frame to be photographed. Mode 6 has the same
bit pattern as Mode 2, which allows storage of photographic information to
be restarted without operating the data storage start key 22.
FIG. 4 is a flow chart of the procedure for storing photographic
information in memory in the photographic information storage device in
accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The
command for starting the storage of the photographic information to the
memory 14 is issued by control device 21 when an input signal from the
data storage start key 22 is received. The data storage bit 0 is then set
to "1." When the photographing of one roll of film is completed, the
control device 11 receives a film rewind signal, writes "END" in the
memory 14 address specified by the address counter, and updates the
address counter.
In step S101, the control device 11 determines whether the storage
interruption operation has been performed, that is, whether an input
signal has been received from the storage interruption button 12a. If a
storage interruption operation has not been performed, the operation
proceeds to step S102, and a judgment is made as to whether a release
signal has been received from the shutter release button, i.e., whether
the release operation has been performed. When the release operation has
been performed, operation proceeds to step S103. When the release
operation has not been performed, the operation returns to step S101.
In step S103, a determination is made as to whether the memory full bit is
set to "1". When the memory full bit is set to "1", the operation proceeds
to step S104. In step S104 a determination is made as to whether the
storage interruption bit is set to "1." When the storage interruption bit
is set to "1", operation proceeds to step S105. When the storage
interruption bit is not set to "1", operation returns to step S101.
Release processing is performed in step S105, and thereafter step S106 is
executed. If there was a negative determination in step S103, operation
proceeds to step S105.
In step S106, a determination is made as to whether the data storage bit is
set to "1". When the data storage bit is set to "1", operation proceeds to
step S107. When there has been a negative determination in step S106,
operation returns to step S101. In step S107, a determination is made as
to whether the storage interruption bit is set to "1." When the storage
interruption bit is not set to "1" step S108 is executed. When the storage
interruption bit is set to "1", operation returns to step S101. In step
S108, the shutter speed and the aperture value are written to the address
indicated by the address counter, and the address counter is updated.
Next, in step S109, a determination is made as to whether there is space
for writing photographic information in the memory 14. When it is judged
that no space in the memory 14 exists, the step S110 is executed. When it
is determined that there is space in the memory 14, operation returns to
step S101. In step S110, the memory full bit is set to "1", and operation
returns to step S101.
If after step S101, operation proceeds to step S111, and a determination is
made as to whether the data storage bit is set to "1." When the data
storage bit is set to "1", step S112 is executed. When there has been a
negative determination in step S111, operation returns to step S101. In
step S112, a determination is made as to whether the memory full bit is
set to "1." When the memory full bit is set to "1", step S113 is executed.
When there has been a negative determination in step S112, operation
returns to step S101. In step S113, the data storage bit is set to "0",
the storage interruption bit is set to "1", and operation returns to step
S101.
When the release operation is performed during data storage mode, that is,
when the memory full bit is "0", the data storage bit 0 is set "1", and
the storage interruption bit is set to "0", the result of step S102 is
affirmative, and the result of step S103 is negative. Thereafter, release,
that is, picture taking, is performed in step S105. Similarly, if the
result of step S106 is affirmative and the result of step S107 is
negative, data storage processing is performed in step S108. Then, the
result of step S109 is affirmative, and there is a return to step S101.
When picture taking is repeated and memory full status results, the result
of step S109 becomes negative, and the memory full bit is set to "1" in
step S110. When the release operation is again performed, picture taking
becomes impossible since the result of step S103 is affirmative, and the
result of step S104 is negative. When the storage interruption button 12a
is pressed in this mode, and the result of step S101 is affirmative, the
storage bit is set to "0", and the storage interruption bit 2 is set to
"1" through the operation of steps S111 through S113. Thus, the result of
step S104 is affirmative, and picture taking is performed, but because the
result of step S106 is negative, there is a return to step S101 without
data storage processing being performed.
FIG. 5 is a flow chart which shows the procedure for transferring
photographic information from memory to the PC 2 in the photographic
information storage device in accordance with a preferred embodiment of
the present invention. A transfer of photographic information from the
memory 14 to the storage device 24 is initiated by the control device 21
in response to the activation of the transfer command key 23 of the PC 2.
First, in step S201, there is a request by the control device 21 to the
control device 11 for the transfer of photographic information. The data
contained in the memory 14 is transferred from the control device 11.
Next, the data is read and written to the storage device 24. Thereafter,
in step S202, a judgment is made as to whether the memory full bit is set
to "1." When the memory full bit is set to "1", operation proceeds to step
S203. In step S203, a determination is made as to whether the storage
interruption bit is set to "1." When the storage interruption bit is set
to "1", operation proceeds to step S204, and the data storage bit is set
to "1." Next, in step S205, the memory full bit is set to "0." When there
has been a negative determination in step S203, operation jumps to step
S205. When there has been a negative determination in step S202,
processing is ended.
FIG. 6 is a flow chart which shows processing when the film is loaded in a
camera equipped with the photographic information storage device in
accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. In step
S301, the film is wound to the first frame to be photographed. After this,
in step S302, the storage interruption bit is cleared to "0", and in step
S303, the film number is written to the address indicated by the address
counter, the address counter is updated, and processing is ended. At the
stage where the processing of FIG. 5 has been executed, the storage
interruption bit remains at "1" even if the data storage bit is "1", and
the memory full bit is "0." Thus, even if picture taking is executed after
transfer, the result of step S107 in FIG. 4 is affirmative, and storage of
photographic information cannot be restarted. Therefore, when new film has
been loaded, the processing in FIG. 6 is executed, the storage
interruption bit is cleared to "0", and storage of photographic
information is restarted.
In the camera 1 according to a preferred embodiment of the present
invention, picture taking can be performed even after storage interruption
mode is in effect, so the frame which is being photographed cannot be
determined immediately after transfer, and the photographic information
and the photographed frame of film does not correspond.
Although the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been
described with respect to a specific configuration, it will be recognized
that the preferred embodiment is not limited to the specific
configuration. For example, in the preferred embodiment, modification of
the storage mode flag, such as updating the data storage bit and the
memory full bit, is performed by control device 21 on the PC 2. However,
after control device 11 receives an interruption signal for the completion
of transfer of photographic information to the PC 2, it is also able to
execute the steps starting with step S202 in FIG. 5. Moreover, while a
button which corresponds to the data storage start key 22 is located on
the camera side, the control device 11 can also be adapted to operate the
data storage bit based on an input signal from that button. In such a
case, if the PC 2 merely performs writing of the transferred photographic
information to the storage device 24, separate processing can be executed
thereafter. In the preferred embodiment, space is created in the memory
for writing information through the transfer of information, but the
present invention would also be effective if space is created in the
memory by deleting photographic information.
Although a few preferred embodiments of the present invention have been
shown and described, it would be appreciated by those skilled in the art
that changes may be made in these embodiments without departing from the
principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined in
the claims and their equivalents.
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