Camera for Recording Images on a Photographic Film or on a Magnetic Tape

The present invention is related to U.S. Provisional Patent application No. 60/004,555, filed Sep. 29, 1995, entitled "A Non-Photographic Strip Having a Base Layer Similar to a Photographic Filmstrip and a Magnetic Recording Layer", assigned to the assignee of the present invention. The disclosure of this related application is incorporated herein by reference.

The present invention relates to cameras which can record images on photographic film and images on electronic storage media.

It has been recognized as a need for an image capture apparatus or system to substantially simultaneously capture both silver halide and electronic images. There are many variations on this theme. Generally, these cameras include conventional optics and film handling mechanisms for forming an image on film, and they also include a solid state imager and a display for forming and viewing an image. Such a camera can be used in a preview mode whereby a photographer can view an electronically recorded scene on the display without having to expose the film. The preview mode makes it convenient to arrange the composition and verify the exposure level before a permanent image is captured on film. The camera can also be operated in the review mode in which a photographer can view an image on the display which has also been captured on film. In this manner, important scenes like weddings and once in a lifetime vacations are verified as properly captured before leaving the scene.

One such camera is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,742,369 to Iishi et. al. wherein an electronic still camera is disclosed that is adapted to form an image on a photosensitive film. The claims include a storage means that could be a floppy disk.

Again in U.S. Pat. No. 4,949,117 to Van Heyningen et al. a camera is described that has an electronic imager and display in addition to standard film capture. The electronic imager is used to control the parameters of image capture on film in addition to being directly responsible for the image of the electronic display.

In U.S. Pat. No. 5,389,984 to Lovenheim, a hybrid camera is described where by a film image and a video image are simultaneously captured by sending capture signals in a controlled sense such that given known acquisition parameters dictate a simultaneous capture. The camera is additionally operatively attached to a computer for controlling said signals. In this case, the user has a severe constraint of being tied to a computer to control the camera.

In U.S. Pat. No. 4,714,962 to Levine, a dual electronic camera is shown that substantially concurrently captures electronic and silver halide images. The electronic image is used to preview or review images captured on silver halide. A recorder means is provided for recording instructions concerning the processing each of the frames. This recorder means might be the optical properties of the film or a separate memory or recorder.

The operation of the linear magnetic head array 36 is well understood in the camera art and reference is made to commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,050,017 issued Sep. 17, 1991 to Carr et al, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

In all of these cameras found in the prior art, the electronic image is used for preview or review and typically not stored or downloaded as an alternative to the film image. When the image is electronically stored, typically a solid state memory or a floppy disk is used. The cameras can't accept alternate media in place of the film to record the electronic image within the same mechanism used to hold move the film. It is therefore still a problem to record both photographic and electronic images in hybrid cameras.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a hybrid camera which can effectively store images on photographic film and on magnetic tape.

This object is achieved in a camera for recording images on a photographic film in a cartridge and for recording images on a magnetic tape in a cartridge, the improvement comprising:

a) means for receiving a cartridge which can contain either photographic film or magnetic tape;

b) optical means for recording an image of a subject on the photographic film when a photographic film cartridge is disposed in the cartridge receiving means;

c) image storage means for receiving an image of the subject and storing such image as a plurality of electrical signals; and

d) means responsive to a cartridge containing magnetic tape being disposed in the cartridge receiving means for selectively recording images from the image storage means onto a magnetic tape.

It is an advantage of the present invention that magnetic tape can be used to store electronic images in a cost effective manner, in a camera that can also expose images on photographic film.

It is a further advantage of the invention that a single storage section of a camera can be used for receiving cartridges that selectively can have photographic film or magnetic tape.

A still further advantage is that the camera can automatically determine if a film cartridge or magnetic cartridge has been inserted into the cartridge receiving section. Moreover, a number of different features can be actuated by the insertion of a cartridge containing magnetic tape.

It is another advantage of the invention that sufficient digital memory can be provided to store the electronic images of several (n) film images which can be written to the magnetic tape once a magnetic tape cartridge is loaded thus permitting a reviewed silver halide image to be selectively and electronically stored outside of the camera.

Furthermore, another object of the invention is that a user can add additional digital memory via plug-in module, cable-tethered external device or the like to buffer additional simultaneously captured electronic pictures that are being recorded on the silver halide film which is physically loaded into the camera.

A still further advantage is to provide a hybrid camera which can operate as an electronic camera which transfers electronic images to memory and then selectively either transfer such images to a magnetic tape or images from a magnetic tape into the memory.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a hybrid dual lens camera in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view of the camera shown in FIG. 1 taken along the lines 2--2;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of various elements of the hybrid camera system shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B perspectively shown block diagrams of the control circuit 32 and the head interface electrodes 40;

FIG. 5 is a top view of the relative positioning of a multitrack linear head with respect to the camera film rail and gate frame; and

FIG. 6 is a perspective schematic view of the frustrums of one embodiment of a multihead array formed in accordance with the invention.

Turning now to FIG. 1, there is shown a hybrid dual lens camera having a hybrid camera main body 1; imaging lenses 3a and 3b; manually focusing mechanisms 6; a shutter switch including a self-retum push-button switch 7; a wind-up lever 8; a shutter speed dial 9; a film rewind knob 10; and a film sensitivity dial 12. These components are the same as those in a normal camera.

Turning now to FIG. 2 which is a cross sectional view which depicts the hybrid camera which includes a TTL automatic exposure function (not shown), and has a normal structure including a reflex mirror 16, submirror 18, shutter curtain ST, film 20 disposed in a cartridge 22. The cartridge 22 is removable from the camera body and a new cartridge 22, having substantially the same design as the film cartridge, can be inserted into the camera body. This new cartridge includes a magnetic tape. When this happens, a linear magnetic head array 36 is activated. This linear magnetic head array 36 is shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 and will be discussed later.

As is well known in the art, the substrate of the film 20 can have on its rear side, coated a transparent magnetic layer. Another magnetic head 38, which is under the control of head interface electronics 40 (see FIGS. 4a and 4b), can be used to read and write information to the transparent magnetic storage layer. The head interface electronics 40 provides signals to either the linear magnetic head array 36 or magnetic head 38 in a conventional manner. Although two separate arrangements will be described for the linear magnetic head array 36 and the magnetic head 38, those skilled in the art will appreciate that a single magnetic head unit can be used to provide the functions of these heads. Magnetic head 38 typically includes two tracks which correspond to tracks C1 and C2 on the film 20. This arrangement will be discussed later in connection with FIG. 4b. For a more complete disclosure see, for example, commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,130,745 issued Jul. 14, 1992 to Cloutier et al, entitled "Film Information Exchange System Using Dedicated Magnetic Tracks on Film", the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference.

The hybrid camera includes an image sensor 25 arranged to coincide with the axis of the imaging lens 3b, and is electrically connected to a semiconductor chip 27 mounted on a printed circuit board 26. In this embodiment, respective rear covers 28 and 29 for the film and electronic portion of the hybrid camera are independently provided. As is well understood, a cartridge receiving structure 31 is provided within the hybrid camera body 1 and, in accordance with the present invention, can receive a cartridge which has either photographic film or magnetic tape.

In FIG. 3, a block diagram is shown of various systems within the hybrid camera 1. As shown, a subject S is positioned in front of the camera lenses 3a and 3b. An image of the subject is focused on a film plane 30 by the camera lens 3a of the cartridge 22 which contains photographic film or magnetic tape. An image of the subject S is also focused by the camera lens 3b and other optical elements (not shown) upon the image sensor 25. Image sensor 25 can be a full frame charge coupled device (CCD) or, alternatively, can be an interline device with, for example, photodiode pixels which are adapted to deliver charge to interline CCDs. Conventional electronic circuitry (not shown) is associated with the image sensor 25. After the image sensor receives light representative of the image of the subject S, the circuitry sets up, acquires, and transfers electronic signals from the image sensor to circuitry for image processing. Such electronics are well known in the art and their description omitted for clarity of discussion. A control circuit 32 is adapted to transfer images from a temporary storage memory 33 to display interface electronics 42. The display interface electronics 42 causes digital images to be delivered to a display controller 44 which, in turn, causes selected images to be shown on a display device 46, such as a liquid crystal display device 46. When the image storage temporary memory 33 is fully loaded, the control circuit 32 signals to the display interface electronics 42 an appropriate signal causing the display controller 44 to display information on the display device 46 indicating to the user that the image storage temporary memory 33 is full. The user then, via the keyboard 41, makes a decision whether to transfer the images in the display interface electronics 42 or to rewind the film cartridge 22 and insert a cartridge 22 containing magnetic tape. The arrangement of such type of a display structure is well known in the art and used on many commercially available cameras such as the Casio QV-10 digital still camera. The control circuit 32 controls an image storage temporary memory 33. In operation, shutter mechanisms 34a and 34b (shown schematically as dotted lines) of the hybrid camera are simultaneously operated and images of the subject S are directed to the photographic film plane 30 for recording on the photographic film and onto the image sensor 25. The operation of the shutters is as best shown in FIG. 3 under the control of an input/output device 43 such that when a magnetic cartridge is loaded into the camera, the shutter 34a is disabled and prevents light from the subject from illuminating the photographic film plane 30. This is actually accomplished by the linear magnetic head array 36 detecting the presence of a prerecorded signal on the magnetic tape. The image storage temporary memory 33 may include transistors that can store a number of images as is well known to those skilled in the art. Each time an image is to be photographed on the film, a corresponding image is stored in image storage temporary memory 33. Another temporary external memory 34 is shown which is external to the camera itself and can either receive or deliver signals directly under the control of the control circuit 32.

The linear magnetic head array 36 is under the control of the head interface electronics 40. In accordance with the present invention, after a cartridge 22 having a magnetic tape is inserted into the camera, the magnetic head 38 detects the presence of a cartridge 22 having magnetic tape and provides a signal to the head interface electronics 40 that a magnetic tape is now in the camera. Under the control of a user, the keyboard 41 mounted on the camera body as shown in FIG. 1 sends signals through input/output device 43 into control circuit 32 which causes data representing images to be selectively transferred to the head electronics 40 which, in turn, controls the writing of such image data via the linear magnetic head array 36. The keyboard 41 can also be mounted external to the camera.

More particularly, the keyboard 41 signals the control unit 32 to transfer selected images from the temporary storage memory 33 through the control unit 32 and the head interface electronics 40 to the linear magnetic head array 36. The linear magnetic head array 36 records such images onto magnetic tape.

Turning now to FIG. 4a, where a more detailed block diagram is shown of control circuit 32. The control circuit 32 is shown to receive inputs from input/output device 43, which is under the control of keyboard 41. Also shown external to the control circuit 32 are the head interface electronics 40, temporary external memory 34, and display interface electronics 42, all previously discussed with reference to FIG. 3. Moreover, a power supply 47 is shown to provide power to a microprocessor 48. The microprocessor 48 receives an input from the input/output device 43 and provides control signals to a conventional timing generator 100. The timing generator 100 controls CCD drivers 102, an address generator 104, signal processing circuitry I 10, and also provides signals to an analog-to-digital converter 106 and to display interface electronics 42, as well as to a digital-to-analog converter 108. The CCD drivers, of course, control the image sensor 25 which, in turn, provides analog signals to analog signal processing circuitry 112. The analog signal processing circuitry 112 delivers signals to the analog-to-digital converter 106 which provides timing information back to the microprocessor 48 and under the control of the timing generator 100, delivers digital signals to digital signal processing circuitry 110. The digital signal processing circuitry 110 provides an input to a fixed digital memory 114. The address generator 104 causes digital information to be delivered either to the temporary external memory 34 or to the digital-to-analog converter 108. The digital-to-analog converter 108, under the control of the timing generator 100, provides input signals to the display interface electronics 42. In response to signals from timing generator 100, the display interface electronics 42 delivers image signals to the display interface electronics 42 shown in FIG. 3.

Turning now to FIG. 4b, where a more detailed block diagram shows the head interface electronics 40. In FIG. 4b, portions of the hybrid camera main body 1 associated with magnetic recording of data on film in accordance with the present invention are shown. The control circuit 32, as discussed above, controls various functions of the camera operation. Other photographic data, such as date, time, exposure information, scene orientation, and frame format can be provided in a well known manner within control circuit 32. Image storage temporary memory 33, which may be provided by an EEPROM stores image data prior to writing it to a magnetic tape. A motor drive 50 is mechanically coupled to an internal spool 51 of the cartridge 22 and to a take-up spool 52. The detail construction of the spools 51 and 52 are, of course, conventional. The motor drive 50 is operated under the control of the microprocessor 48 of control circuit 32 advances the film 20 in a first direction represented by arrow 54 from the cartridge 22 to the take-tip spool 52, frame by frame, as each image frame 55 is exposed. Once all frames are exposed, motor drive 50 is operative to rewind the film in a second direction represented by arrow 56 from the take-up spool 52 to the film cartridge 22 in one continuous motion. A detector circuit 60 is coupled between control circuit controller 32 and opto-sensors 62 and 64 to sense apertures A and M to control frame by frame advance of the film and recording data in tracks Cl and C2. In conjunction with detector circuit 60 and control circuit 32, opto-sensor 64 serves as a metering sensor responsive to detection of metering perf M to position image frame areas 65 properly within the camera exposure gate (not shown). Opto-sensor 64 serves as a velocity sensor responsive to detection of anticipation per A to sense the velocity of the film as it is being transported. Data recording in parallel longitudinal data tracks C1 and C2 is accomplished by means of magnetic head 38 driven by head drive 66 under the control of the microprocessor 48 of the control circuit controller 32. The details of film 20 and the magnetic recording layer thereon are fully described in aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 5,130,745, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. For a more complete disclosure of the operation of magnetic head 38, see commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,450,149 issued Sep. 12, 1995 to Cocca entitled "Photographic Camera and Method for Recording Magnetic Data on Film", the disclosure which is incorporated herein by reference.

Turning now to FIG. 5 where the film rail and gate frame structure 70 located in hybrid camera main body I is shown. For a more complete discussion of such structure, see U.S. Pat. No. 5,502,528, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. A magnetic tape 72 will be understood to include a high density ferromagnetic structure such as found in conventional video or audio tape cassettes. For an example of such a structure, see commonly assigned Docket 72403 (McIntyre and Lee). As shown, there are a plurality of recording tracks 78.sub.l, . . . 78 .sub.n in which an image frame may be recorded in the tracks. The tracks are aligned with the active head gaps 94 of the linear magnetic head array 36.

With reference to FIG. 4b and FIG. 5, the leading edge of the magnetic tape 72 is thrust forward from a tape supply side 82 of cartridge 22 which includes the internal spool 51 to the take-up side 84 of cartridge 22 which includes take-up spool 52. The control of the spools is again by the driver motor 50 which, in turn, is controlled by the microprocessor 48 within the control circuit 32. As shown in FIG. 5, there are two rails 86 and 88, which are part of the film rail and gate frame structure 70. The operation of this type of structure is well known in the art and disclosed in detail in the above-referenced U.S. Pat. No. 5,502,528.

FIG. 6 shows the relative position of tracks 78 of the linear magnetic head array 36 in relation to the magnetic tape transport path. The linear magnetic head array 36 is a linear array of discrete heads in the shape of n=10 frustums 92.sub.0 -92.sub.9 containing eight active head gaps 94.sub.1 -94.sub.8. It should be noted that the tracks to be recorded on the magnetic tape are numbered 78.sub.l -78.sub.n where n is equal to 8. Although not shown, it will be understood that the linear magnetic head array 36 includes a plurality of ferrite core heads with associated coils for each one of the eight active head gaps 94.sub.1 -94.sub.8. It is the magnetic flux created in the air gap that causes information to be recorded on one of the data tracks. However, once information has been recorded in the magnetic tape 72, tape movement induces a change in the flux in the head gaps 94 that causes information to be exchanged as is well known in the art. Thus, it should be clear that the linear magnetic head array 36 can operate in both a record and playback mode. The linear magnetic head array 36 provides recording signals but also is adapted to receive signals in a playback mode. As shown in FIG. 4a, in the playback mode, the head interface electronics 40 delivers data to the microprocessor 48. Thereafter, the microprocessor 48 delivers data bus 116 to either the fixed digital memory 114 or to temporary external memory 34 for further processing as discussed above.

In operation, after a selected number of films have been recorded on a photographic film, an operator can operate the keyboard 41 and disable the shutters 34a and 34b and cause the motor drive 50 to rewind the exposed film into internal spool 51 of cartridge 22. Cartridge 22 can now be removed from the camera and another cartridge 22 with magnetic tape can be inserted into the camera or, alternatively, another cartridge containing photographic film can also be inserted into the cartridge receiving structure 31. In the event that an operator does not have photographic film available he, of course, can insert a cartridge 22 containing a magnetic tape into the camera and record directly onto such tape.

The invention has been described in detail with particular reference to a certain preferred embodiment thereof, but it will be understood that variations and modifications can be effected within the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, images can be directly exposed onto the image sensor 25 without any cartridge 22 being inserted into the cartridge receiving structure 31 and, in such a case, the camera would operate as a conventional electronic camera with the exception that the stored images could be transferred onto a magnetic tape of a cartridge 22 after such cartridge is inserted into the camera.

1 hybrid cainera main body

3a imaging lenses

3b imaging lenses

6 manually focusing mechanisms

7 shutter switch

8 wind-up lever

9 shutter speed dial

10 film rewind knob

12 film sensitivity dial

16 reflex mirror

18 submirror

20 film

22 cartridge

25 image sensor

27 semiconductor chip

28 rear covers

29 rear covers

30 photographic film plane

31 cartridge receiving structure

32 control circuit

33 image storage temporary memory

34 temporary external memory

34a shutter mechanism

34b shutter mechanism

36 linear magnetic head array

38 magnetic head

40 head interface electronics

41 keyboard

42 display interface electronics

43 input/output device

44 display controller

46 display device

47 power supply

48 microprocessor

50 motor drive

51 internal spool

52 take-up spool

54 arrow

55 image frame

56 arrow

60 detector circuit

62 opto-sensors

64 opto-sensor

65 image frame areas

66 head drive

60 film rail and gate frame structure

72 magnetic tape

78 tracks

82 tape supply side

84 take-up side

86 rails

88 rails

94 head gaps

100 conventional timing generator

102 CCD drivers

104 address generator

106 analog-to-digital converter

108 digital-to-analog converter

110 signal processing circuitry

112 analog signal processing circuitry

114 fixed digital memory

116 data bus