Digital Camera Patent Abstract
A digital camera which is capable of printing instantly after photographing
and is easy to be carried and handled and inexpensive is disclosed.
A print unit A for allowing a latent image to be formed on a print
paper on which a photosensitive type microcapsule has been coated
by optically scanning on the basis of an image signal and applying
a mechanical pressure to the print paper and developing it, and
a display image pickup unit B having a semiconductor image pickup
device 32 for converting a video image of a photographing object
into digital image signals and a solid state image display 33 for
displaying the object are constructed. A flash memory card interface
29 is provided for the display image pickup unit B and a flash memory
interface is provided for the print unit A. The display image pickup
unit B is controlled by a control unit including a CPU 11 in the
print unit A. Digital Camera Patent Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A digital camera capable of printing instantly after photographing,
comprising: a print unit having a paper feed mechanism for feeding
in one direction a print paper coated with photosensitive microcapsules,
a print head having light emitting devices mounted to undergo scanning
movement with respect to the print paper on the basis of an image
signal to form a latent image onto the print paper, a print roller
for applying a mechanical pressure to the print paper on which the
latent image has been formed and developing the latent image, and
a control unit having a CPU; and a display image pickup unit having
an optical system for receiving an image of an object to be photographed,
and a semiconductor image pickup device for converting the image
of the object entering through the optical system into digital image
signals; and an interface for connecting the display image pickup
unit and the print unit; wherein the interface comprises a card
and slot interface wherein one of the display image pickup unit
and the print unit has a slot for receiving the other, and the other
has a card type configuration which allows it to be placed into
and removed from the slot of the one, thereby enabling the display
image pickup unit to be detachable from the print unit; and wherein
the display image pickup unit is controlled by the control unit
of the print unit when connected thereto.
2. A digital camera capable of printing instantly after photographing
according to claim 1; wherein the print unit has a portable configuration
and the slot is formed therein, and the display image pickup unit
is formed in a card type configuration and is receivable in the
slot formed in the print unit.
3. A digital camera capable of printing instantly after photographing
according to either one of claims 1 and 2; wherein the display image
pickup unit further comprises a solid state image display for displaying
the object to be photographed and a photograph to be printed.
4. A digital camera capable of printing instantly after photographing
according to claim 1; wherein the print unit has the slot and the
display image pickup unit has the card type configuration, and the
CPU of the print unit controls the display image pickup unit to
transfer the digital image signals to the print unit to cause an
image to be printed automatically only when the display image pickup
unit is inserted into the slot of the print unit.
5. A digital camera capable of printing instantly after photographing
according to claim 1; wherein the print unit has the slot and the
display image pickup unit has the card type configuration, and the
CPU of the print unit controls the display image pickup unit so
that the display image pickup unit is operable only when inserted
into the slot of the print unit.
6. A camera and photo printer, comprising: an image pickup unit
having an optical system for receiving an image of an object to
be photographed and outputting an optical image thereof, and an
image pickup device for converting the optical image into image
signals; a photograph printing unit comprising a paper feed mechanism
for feeding a print paper coated with a photosensitive material,
and a print head mounted to undergo scanning movement with respect
to the print paper to selectively expose the photosensitive material
coated on the print paper on the basis of the image signals to form
an image on the print paper; and a control unit mounted in one of
the photograph printing unit and the image pickup unit for controlling
the paper feed mechanism to feed the print paper, the print head
to undergo scanning movement, and the image pickup unit to transfer
the image signals to the photograph printing unit; wherein the photograph
printing unit and the image pickup unit are connectable through
an interface through which control signals from the control unit
and image signals are transferred from the image pickup unit to
the photograph printing unit, the interface comprising a card and
slot configuration in which one of the photograph printing unit
and the image pickup unit is configured to be slidable into the
other, and the other has a slot for receiving the one.
7. A camera and photo printer according to claim 6; wherein the
image pickup device comprises a semiconductor device for converting
the optical image into digital image signals.
8. A camera and photo printer according to claim 6; wherein the
print paper is coated with photosensitive microcapsules, the print
head has a plurality of light emitting elements for exposing the
photosensitive microcapsules in accordance with the digital image
signals to form a latent image thereon; and wherein the photograph
printing unit further comprises a print roller for applying mechanical
pressure to print paper on which the latent image has been formed
and developing the latent image.
9. A camera and photo printer according to claim 6; wherein the
image pickup unit further comprises an image display unit for displaying
at least one of the object to be photographed and an image to be
printed.
10. A camera and photo printer according to claim 9; wherein the
image display unit comprises a liquid crystal display.
11. A camera and photo printer according to claim 6; wherein the
image pickup unit further comprises a flash memory for storing digital
image signals and transferring the digital image signals to the
photograph printing unit.
12. A camera and photo printer according to claim 6; wherein the
control unit is mounted in the photograph printing unit, the photograph
printing unit has the slot into which the image pickup unit is slidable,
and the control unit controls the image pickup unit to transfer
the image signals to the photograph printing unit to cause an image
to be printed automatically only when the image pickup unit is inserted
into the slot of the photograph printing unit.
13. A camera and photo printer according to claim 6; wherein the
control unit is mounted in the photograph printing unit, the photograph
printing unit has the slot into which the image pickup unit is slidable,
and the control unit controls the image pickup unit so that the
image pickup is operable only when inserted into the slot of the
photograph printing unit.
Digital Camera Patent Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a digital camera capable of printing
instantly after photographing, and more particularly to a digital
camera capable of printing instantly after photographing comprising:
a display image pickup unit having a semiconductor image pickup
device; and a print unit for scanning a print paper on which a photosensitive
type microcapsule has been coated by a print head having light emitting
devices and forming a latent image and mechanically pressing the
print paper on which the latent image has been formed by a print
roller and developing the latent image.
2. Description of the Related Art
The present applicant has developed a portable type printer for
use with a digital camera and previously applied for patent (Japanese
Patent Application No. Hei 9-152719). In this printer, a print paper
on which a photosensitive type microcapsule has been coated is scanned
by a print head having three kinds of light emitting devices of
red, green, and blue and to thereby form a latent image, and then
the latent image is developed through mechanically pressing the
print paper on which the latent image has-been formed by a print
roller. With respect to a tone, a saturation, and a lightness in
printing, an intensity and an irradiation time of irradiation light
beams in the light emitting devices are controlled.
The print paper is formed in a manner in which a photosensitive
type microcapsule, which has a diameter of about 4 microns, is coated
uniformly on a base paper and thereon, an image receiving layer
including a developing agent is coated and further thereon, a polyester
film is laminated. The microcapsule itself has light translucent
property and a microcase made up of merely transparent gelatin having
an intensity whose degree is a degree that the microcase might be
destroyed through mechanically pressing by the print roller. A coupler
which is included in the microcapsule is colorless leuco dye and
a material which is colored by contacting the image receiving layer
containing the developing agent. As for the coupler, correspondently
to three primary colors of light, i.e., red (R), green (G), and
blue (B), three primary colors of painting, i.e., magenta (M), yellow
(Y), and cyan (C) are prepared. As a photo-curing material which
is included in the microcapsule together with the coupler, light
of color with a complementary color relation to a which is what
appears as a result when the coupler contacts the receiving image
layer and reacts is selected. That is, a material which cures in
dependence on light of a specific wavelength is selected. With regard
to the types of print paper, there is a print paper for monochrome
on which only one kind of photosensitive type microcapsule has been
coated and a print paper for full color of 256-gradations on which
three kinds of photosensitive type microcapsules have been coated.
Further, each of the foregoing types of print papers includes print
papers for high sensitivity and for low sensitivity.
A printer using a print paper on which a photosensitive type microcapsule
has been coated, according to one embodiment as shown in FIG. 4,
comprises: a CPU 37; a ROM 38 in which a program for allowing various
processes to be performed in accordance with a predetermined procedure
has been stored; a DRAM 39 in which image data to be printed and
related data such as various parameters are stored; and a control
unit having an input/output interface 40 and a bus 41.
The printer also comprises: a print head 44 having light emitting
devices for selectively irradiating light beams on the print paper
and for forming a latent image; a print roller 45 for applying pressure
to the print paper on which the latent image has been formed and
for developing it; and a paper feed mechanism 46 for moving the
print paper in one direction at a predetermined speed. The printer
further comprises: a photosensitive control circuit 47 for controlling
a selective light-emission and an irradiation quantity of the light
emitting devices in the print head 44; a head driving unit 48 for
moving the print head 44 reciprocatively in the direction perpendicular
to the moving direction of the print paper; a roller driving unit
49 for driving the print roller 45; and a paper feed driving unit
50 for driving the paper feed mechanism 46. Furthermore, the printer
also comprises: input means 42 for inputting image data from video
image equipment such as a digital camera, which is supplied through
a flash memory card or as transmission signals; and setting means
43 for setting various parameters of the printer or performing an
image edit operation, etc.
A digital camera according to one embodiment, as shown in a block
diagram of FIG. 5, has: an optical system 51 comprising a photographic
lens, a stop, and a shutter; a semiconductor image pickup device
52 such as CCD or MOS transistor; and a solid state image display
53 comprising a semiconductor image display device such as LCD or
TFT. The digital camera further has: an optical system driving circuit
54 for driving the optical system 51; an image pickup device driving
circuit 55 for driving the semiconductor image pickup device 52;
and a display driving circuit 56 for driving the solid state image
display 53.
The digital camera also has: a CPU 57; a ROM 58 in which a program
for allowing various processes to be executed in accordance with
a predetermined procedure has been stored; a DRAM 59 for temporarily
storing digital image signals outputted from the semiconductor image
pickup device; a flash memory 60 serving as a built-in memory, which
stores the digital image signals of an object to be photographed;
and a control unit comprising an input/output interface 61 and a
bus 62. An external interface 64 for connecting to an external communication
line or an image input terminal of a TV and an/external memory interface
65 further constitutes the control unit. Connected to the external
memory interface 65 is a connector 66 into which a storage medium
such as a flash memory card is inserted.
The printer using the print paper on which the .photosensitive
type microcapsule as shown in FIG. 4 has been coated is usually
used, while being taken with the digital camera as shown in FIG.
5 at a photographing spot. Namely, the user such as a photographer
takes a photograph by the digital camera, and thereafter copies
and stores the digital image signals stored in the built-in memory
in the digital camera to the flash memory card as an external memory.
He then pulls out the flash memory card in which the digital image
signals have been stored from the digital camera and inserts it
into the card interface serving as an input unit of the printer.
He stores digital still image signals into the built-in memory in
the printer and thus completes preparation for printing. Such preparation
for printing, however, is quite troublesome for the photographer,
etc. In addition, although the printer is obvious, even if the digital
camera is compact, its weight and volume might be remarkably large.
It is consequently difficult to carry both printer and digital camera
as mentioned above at the photographing spot, and also inconvenient
to handle them.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a digital camera
capable of printing on print paper, on which the photosensitive
type microcapsule has been coated, instantly just after photographing,
and also to provide a digital camera which is easily carried and
handled and inexpensive as well.
To solve the above problems, a digital camera capable of printing
instantly after photographing according to the present invention
comprises two units of: a print unit having a paper feed mechanism
for feeding in one direction a print paper on which a photosensitive
type microcapsule has been coated, a print head having light emitting
devices for optically scanning on the basis of an image signal and
for forming a latent image onto the print paper, a print roller
for applying a mechanical pressure to the print paper on which the
latent image has been formed and for developing the latent image,
and a control unit having a CPU; and a display image pickup unit
having a semiconductor image pickup device for converting a video
image of a photographing object entering through an optical system
into digital image signals. A card interface is provided for one
of the display image pickup unit and the print unit. An interface
into which the card interface is inserted is provided for the other
unit, thereby enabling the display image pickup unit to be detachable
from the print unit and the display image pickup unit is controlled
by the control unit of the print unit.
The print unit is formed in a portable type and the display image
pickup unit is formed in a card type. A solid state image display
for displaying a photographing object is further provided for the
display image pickup unit. Upon printing, the solid state image
display displays an image to be printed by the print unit.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
For a more better understanding of the present invention, reference
is made of a detailed description to be read in conjunction with
the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a construction of an embodiment
of a digital camera capable of printing instantly after photographing;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a digital camera
in a state where a display image pickup unit is attached to a print
unit;
FIG. 3 is perspective view of an embodiment of a card type display
image pickup unit;
FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a construction of an embodiment
of a printer using a print paper on which a conventional photosensitive
type microcapsule has been coated; and
FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a construction of an embodiment
of a conventional digital camera.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
A digital camera capable of printing instantly after photographing
according to one embodiment of the present invention, as respectively
shown in a block diagram of FIG. 1 and in a perspective view of
FIG. 2, comprises two units, including a print unit A which is formed
in a portable configuration and a display image pickup unit B which
is formed in a card type configuration. The display image pickup
unit B that is detachable from the print unit A, as illustrated
in a perspective view of FIG. 3, has: an optical case 27 in which
an optical system 31 such as a lens and a semiconductor image pickup
device 32 are arranged; a card type display image pickup case 28
whose one end portion is fixed to the optical case 27; and a solid
state image display 33 which is attached to a surface of the card
type display image pickup case 28 in parallel or in a slightly inclined
manner. The other end portion of the card type display image pickup
case 28 constitutes a part of a flash memory card interface 29.
The print unit A as illustrated in FIG. 1 functions as a printer
using the print paper on which the photosensitive type microcapsule
has been coated. The print unit A has: a CPU 11; a ROM 12 in which
a program for allowing various processes to be performed in accordance
with a predetermined procedure has been stored; a DRAM 13 in which
related data such as various parameters is stored; a flash memory
14 in which image data to printed is stored; and a control unit
comprising an input/output interface 15 and a bus 16.
The print unit A also has: a print head 19 having light emitting
devices for selectively irradiating light beams onto the print paper
and for forming a latent image; a print roller 20 for pressing the
print paper on which the latent image has been formed and for developing
it; and a paper feed mechanism 21 for moving in one direction the
print paper at a predetermined speed. The print unit A further has
a photosensitive control unit 22 for controlling a selective light-emission
and an irradiation quantity of the light emitting devices in the
print head 19; a head driving unit 23 for reciprocatively moving
the print head 19 at a predetermined speed in the direction perpendicular
to the moving direction of the print paper; a roller driving unit
24 for driving the print roller 20; and a paper feed driving unit
25 for driving the paper feed mechanism 21. Input means 17 is means
for inputting digital information of an image to be printed from
an apparatus other than the display image pickup unit B or from
a medium such as a flash memory card. Setting means 18 is means
comprising ten-key input pad or the like for setting various parameters
which are necessary for photographing and printing by the digital
camera or performing image editing, etc.
The display image pickup unit B, as shown in FIG. 1, has: an optical
system 31 comprising a photographic lens, a stop, and a shutter;
a semiconductor image pickup device 32 such as CCD or MOS transistor;
a solid state image display 33 comprising a solid state image display
device such as an LCD or TFT display; an optical system driving
circuit 34 for driving the optical system 31; an image pickup device
driving circuit 35 for driving the semiconductor image pickup device
32; and a display driving circuit 36 for driving the solid state
image display 33. The display image pickup unit B further has: an
input/output interface 30; and the flash memory card interface 29.
Connected to the flash memory card interface 29 may be a connector
in which a storage medium such as a flash memory card is inserted.
An external interface to connect to an external communication line
or an image input terminal of a TV is also provided for the display
image pickup unit B, according to the necessity.
Photographing by a digital camera according to the present invention
is executed in a state where the display image pickup unit B is
attached to the print unit A, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. On this
occasion, the display image pickup unit B is controlled by the control
unit in the print unit A. That is, upon photographing, the control
unit having the CPU 11 in the print unit A controls, through a flash
memory interface 26, the flash memory card interface 29, and the
input/output interface 30, the optical system driving circuit 34,
the image pickup device driving circuit 35, and the display driving
circuit 36. The control unit also drives the optical system 31,
the semiconductor image pickup device 32, and the solid state image
display 33, respectively.
A video image of the object entering through the optical system
31 is converted into digital image signals by the semiconductor
image pickup device 32. The digital image signals output from the
semiconductor image pickup device 32 are, through the input/output
interface 30, the flash memory card interface 29, and the flash
memory interface 26, temporarily stored into the DRAM 13. The digital
image signals of the object which have been temporarily stored in
the memory 13 are, through the flash memory interface 26, the flash
memory card interface 29, and the input/output interface 30, transmitted
to the display driving circuit 36, and the video image of the object
is displayed to the solid state image display 33. Therefore, the
user as a photographer can take a picture while seeing the displayed
image in the solid state image display 33.
The video image of the object photographed by the display image
pickup unit B is converted into digital image signals by the semiconductor
image pickup device 32. The digital image signals from the semiconductor
image pickup device 32 are, through the input/output interface 30,
the flash memory card interface 29, and the flash memory interface
26, stored into the flash memory 14.
Printing by the digital camera according to the present invention
is performed in a state where the display image pickup unit B is
attached to the print unit A as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The digital
image signals of the object stored in the flash memory 14 are, through
the flash memory interface 26, the flash memory card interface 29,
and the input/output interface 30, transmitted to the display driving
circuit 36, and the video image of the object is displayed to the
solid state image display 33. While seeing the displayed image of
the solid state image display 33, the user operates the setting
means 18 and selects or edits a target image to be printed. After
completing a selection or editing of the target image to be printed,
a latent image of the target image is formed onto the print paper
on which the photosensitive type microcapsule has been coated. A
mechanical pressure is then applied to the print paper on which
the latent image has been formed and the latent image is developed.
Further, the developed latent image is fixed by heating and fixing
means (not shown) and the printing is completed. A series of operations
is executed through controlling the photosensitive control circuit
22, the head driving unit 23, and the roller driving unit 24 by
the control unit in the print unit A and driving the print head
19, the print roller 20, and the paper feed mechanism 21, respectively.
According to the present invention, a digital camera capable of
printing instantly after photographing, comprising: a print unit
for allowing a latent image to be formed onto a print paper on which
a photosensitive type microcapsule has been coated by the optically
scanning on the basis of an image signal and developing the latent
image by applying a mechanical pressure to the print paper on which
the latent image has been formed; and a display image pickup unit
having a semiconductor image pickup device for converting a video
image of a photographing object entering through an optical system
into digital image signals, is characterized in that a card interface
and an interface in which the card interface is inserted are used
and thus the display image pickup unit is detachable from the print
unit, and the display image pickup unit is controlled by a control
unit in the print unit. The digital camera capable of printing instantly
after photographing can be realized.
The digital camera according to the present invention comprises
two units of the print unit formed in a portable type and the display
image pickup unit formed in a card type. Hence, the display image
pickup unit is easily detachable from the print unit and even in
the state where the display image pickup unit is attached to the
print unit, the weight and volume of the digital camera as a whole
might not be so increased and the digital camera is compact and
easily used for photographing. As the necessity may arise, the digital
camera is able to be separated into two units, so that it is convenient
to carry the digital camera. Instead of providing a control unit
for the display image pickup unit, the optical system, the image
pickup device, and the solid state image display are controlled
by the control unit in the print unit A. In a construction that
a solid state image display is provided for the display image pickup
unit, the solid state image display of the display image pickup
unit is also used commonly for photographing and for printer. The
structure therefore is simple and also the price is inexpensive. |