Eastman-kodak Company

Robert G Hills

James W Fulmer

Stephen G Malloy Desormeaux

Wayne Edward Stiehler

J David Cocca

David L Funston

Craig A Baker

Steven J Sasson

Michael L Wirt

Gerald J Kosarko

James Vergil Leavy

James D Harney

Daniel T Meyerhoefer

Michael Timothy Malley

A camera with a built-in electronic flash has a spring-driven high energy lever that is pivoted for initiating shutter opening and for translating a switch closing member to close a normally open shutter-flash synchronization switch. When the switch reopens, it translates the switch closing member in reverse. Then, during film winding a metering cam is rotated to pivot the high energy lever in reverse. The switch closing member is adapted to be pivoted temporarily of the way of the high energy lever to allow the high energy lever to be returned past the switch closing member to an original or home position.

Synchronizing shutter and flash in camera with switch closing member capable of elastic deformation

A camera and method automatically exclude electronic images corresponding to film images in a loaded film unit from first in-first out overwriting. In the method, a set of latent images are captured in the camera. A first subset of electronic images that correspond to the latent images are captured, during the capturing of the latent images. A second subset of electronic images are captured independent of the capturing of the latent images. The memory of the camera is filled to capacity with a plurality of the electronic images. After the memory is filled, the electronic images of the second subset in the memory are replaced on a first in-first out basis and the electronic images of the first subset are retained in the memory.

Camera having electronic images corresponding to current film images automatically excluded from first in-first out overwriting and method

A dual film image capture, electronic image capture camera is capable of electronic information editing after each substantially simultaneous film and electronic exposure, and it magnetically records the information adjacent each one of the exposed film frames after completed exposure of the entire film length.

Dual film exposure, electronic exposure camera with electronic information editing after each exposure and information recording on film after completed exposure

A camera for successively capturing images of subjects, has a print quantity selector that can be manually operated to provide various print quantity designations of the number of prints to be made for each one of the captured images. A print reset can be manually operated to change the print quantity designations used for the captured images simultaneously to the same print quantity designation. A print quantity totaller is connected to the print quantity selector and to the print reset for updating a print quantity total which is the sum of the number of prints to be made for the captured images, both when the print quantity selector is used and when the print reset is used.

Camera that records print quantity designation on film for each exposure, and has print quantity totalling

A camera for exposing latent images on successive frames of a filmstrip having magnetic recording capacity, includes a memory that stores a count indicative of the film frames remaining to be exposed (including a count of &ldquo;0&rdquo; to indicate that the final frame was exposed), a magnetic head that magnetically records user-selected information on the filmstrip adjacent each film frame, and a motor that is actuated following exposure of each film frame to advance the filmstrip forward one frame increment to permit the magnetic head to record the information on the filmstrip adjacent each exposed frame and that is actuated after the magnetic information is written on the filmstrip adjacent the final exposed frame to rewind the exposed film length rearward. An input receiving control is connected to the memory, the magnetic head, and the motor for delaying actuation of the motor to rewind the exposed film length rearward after the magnetic head has magnetically written the information on the filmstrip adjacent the final exposed frame, to give the user some time to manually input to the control that the information magnetically written adjacent the final exposed frame should be rewritten, and in the absence of the input by the time the delay has elapsed triggers actuation of the motor to rewind the exposed film length rearward.

Dual film exposure, electronic exposure camera with delay in film rewind after final exposure to allow film rewrite

A camera for exposing latent images on successive frames of a filmstrip having magnetic recording capacity, includes a memory that stores a count indicative of the film frames remaining to be exposed (including a count of &ldquo;0&rdquo; to indicate that the final frame was exposed), a magnetic head that magnetically records user-selected information on the filmstrip adjacent each film frame, and a motor that is actuated following exposure of each film frame to advance the filmstrip to permit the magnetic head to record the information on the filmstrip adjacent each exposed frame. A plurality of information selection switches can be manually used to select the information the magnetic head will magnetically record on the filmstrip adjacent the most-recently exposed one of the film frames including the final exposed frame. An input receiving control is connected to the memory, the magnetic head, the motor, and the information selection switches to actuate the motor to advance the filmstrip to permit the magnetic head to record the information on the filmstrip adjacent the most recently exposed one of the film frames except the final exposed frame, each time at least one of the selection switches is used to select the information, and to record the information on the filmstrip adjacent the final exposed frame, only one time at least one of the selection switches is used to select the information.

Dual film exposure, electronic exposure camera with multiple rewrite on film except for final exposure

A method demonstrates a film-unloaded verifying camera in response to shutter button actuation. In the method, an electronic image is captured and the electronic image is shown to the user along with an indicator that film is not loaded. The film shutter can optionally be fired to provide a more complete experience of camera use. A camera provides these features.

Verifing camera with demonstration mode and method

A camera system includes a user friendly interface to enable a camera user to enter text data to be printed on a photographic film in a simple and convenient manner. The user interface is also used to display text messages to the user indicating certain camera conditions. More specifically, a camera is provided that includes a display unit, a display control interface for manually selecting text data to be displayed on the display unit and a control unit for controlling the operation of the display unit to display the text data selected by the manual user interface. The display unit preferably includes a text data display section and fixed icon display section.

Text interface for still photographic camera with data recording

A still camera includes a frame defining a planar film path and resiliently supporting a magnetic head module urged into engagement with an edge of an associated film on which magnetically recorded information is to be applied. The module includes a head carriage restrained against longitudinal motion and carrying a pressure pad in opposed relation to a recording head mounted on a spring beam of the carriage so as to urge the head against a film backed by the pressure pad. The head module may be formed as a preassembled subassembly. A leaf spring supported by a tab held in the camera frame urges the module against the film edge.

Camera with film recording module

An electrical connector includes a housing having a recess for receiving an integrated circuit card containing integrated circuit elements and a contact pattern. The connector includes flexible electrodes pretensioned to project into the recess and connect with the contact pattern of an inserted card. A card-engaging lever is supported for entry into the recess from a side of the housing opposed to the flexible electrodes. By biasing the lever toward the electrodes, the integrated circuit card is captured therebetween and tensioned from opposing sides thereof to effect electrical connection. By further providing the card with a spring-loaded shutter and a locking slot opposite to the contact pattern, the lever engages the locking slot and the card is secured in the recess against the resilient bias of the spring-loaded shutter.

Electrical connector apparatus for use with an integrated circuit card

An integrated circuit card including one or more integrated circuit elements interacts with a lever extending into a card-receiving receptacle in electronic apparatus for verifying correct insertion and opening a sliding shutter in the card. The integrated circuit elements are enclosed in a case having an opening for exposing a contact pattern that connects the integrated circuit elements to the electronic apparatus. The shutter is biased toward a closed position in which a forward surface covers the contact area. An inclined chamfer on a forward section of the case interacts with the lever to limit insertion to only one orientation of the case. By providing a tab on the rear of the shutter that extends from the case on the same side as the chamfer, the lever initially verifies correct insertion and subsequently engages the tab to drive the shutter to an open position exposing the contact pattern to the electronic apparatus.

Integrated circuit card and electronic apparatus for use therewith

An electronic still camera employs digital processing of image signals corresponding to a still image and storage of the processed image signals in a removable static random access memory card. An image sensor is exposed to image light and the resultant analog image information is converted to digital image signals. A control processor controls the exposure section and the A/D converter, delivering digital signals to a multi-image buffer at a rate commensurate with normal operation of the camera. A digital processor operates on the stored digital signals, transforming blocks of the digital signals and encoding the signals into a compressed stream of processed image signals, which are downloaded to the memory card. The digital processor operates at a throughput rate different than the input rate for better image capture and optimum utilization of the camera.

Electronic still camera utilizing image compression and digital storage

A disk cassette loading/unloading mechanism for use in a disk recorder or the like of the type having a disk drive mechanism comprises a pivotally mounted holder for holding a disk cassette. The holder is pivotally movable between a loading/unloading position in which a disk cassette is inserted into the holder to its loaded position and unloaded therefrom, and a recording position in which the disk in the disk cassette can be drivingly engaged by the disk drive mechanism. Insertion of a disk cassette into the holder to its loaded position automatically causes the holder to move from its loading/unloading position into its recording position. The holder is moved by a cassette ejecting mechanism from its recording position to its loading/unloading position. The ejecting mechanism then ejects the disk cassette at least partially out of the holder.

Disk cassette loading/unloading mechanism for use in a disk recorder or

In a head-to-disk stabilizing unit of a recording and/or reproducing apparatus, a flat air bearing surface surrounds an elongate opening to a negative pressure cavity. A record and/or playback head is arranged in the cavity with its transducer means (e.g., a magnetic gap) disposed at the opening in substantially coplanar relation with the air bearing surface. If a flexible magnetic disk is rotated at a relatively high speed to move successive portions of the disk over the air bearing surface, the surface will stabilize each portion of the rotated disk by damping out any flutter before a negative pressure formed in the cavity pulls the disk portion substantially into contact with the transducer means, thereby ensuring a constant and intimate transducer-to-disk magnetic coupling. The air bearing surface is disposed at a negative attack angle with respect to the rotated disk to cause the formation of a Bernoulli pull down force along such surface, which enhances disk stabilization over the surface and disk pull down at the cavity opening. In a preferred embodiment, a leading curved edge of the air bearing surface penetrates into the rotated disk to choke off the flow of moving air over the surface, to facilitate the formation of the pull down force.

Transducer-to-medium stabilizing device at negative attack angle with

In a head-to-disk stabilizing unit of a recording and/or reproducing apparatus, a flat air bearing surface surrounds an elongate opening to a negative pressure cavity. A record and/or playback head is arranged in the cavity with its transducer means (e.g., a magnetic gap) disposed at the opening in substantially coplanar relation with the air bearing surface. If a flexible magnetic disk is rotated at a relatively high speed to move successive radial portions of the disk over the air bearing surface and the opening, the surface will stabilize each portion of the rotated disk by damping out any flutter before a negative pressure formed in the cavity pulls the disk portion substantially into contact with the transducer means, thereby ensuring a constant and intimate transducer-to-disk magnetic coupling. The elongate opening to the cavity is long in proportion to width in a direction tangential to that of rotating the disk and, preferably, has a wasp waist configuration with a narrow waist disposed proximate the transducer means of the magnetic head, to reduce pull down deformation of the disk in the vicinity of the transducer means and to effect the greatest stabilization of the disk (by the air bearing surface) generally at the same location. Such an arrangement serves to extend the useful life of the disk.

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Spencerport, NY, United States of America

Robert G Hills