JP3423513B2 - Battery level display for camera - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a battery residual quantity display of a camera.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a battery remaining amount display of a camera has generally been a display indicating whether or not there is a battery, or a warning display only before the battery runs out.

A general battery remaining amount display will be described with reference to FIG. Reference numeral 11 is a liquid crystal display of the camera. Reference numeral 12 denotes a 4-digit display unit composed of four digits each consisting of 7 segments, which is a shutter time display unit for displaying the shutter time of the exposure information of the camera. 13 is 7
A two-digit display unit composed of two digits composed of segments, which is an aperture display unit for displaying the aperture value of the exposure information of the camera. In addition, the shutter time display unit 12 and the aperture value display unit 13 can be combined to display a date, that is, a year, month, day, hour, minute, and second. Reference numeral 14 denotes a battery remaining amount display section, which is composed of two segments 14a and 14b.

FIG. 4 (b) is a display when the remaining amount of the battery is sufficient, and segments 14a and 14b are lit to express the state of the remaining amount.

FIG. 4 (c) is a display when the remaining amount of the battery is insufficient, and expresses that only the segment 14a is lit and it is necessary to replace with a new battery.

Thus, in general, the battery remaining amount display is
A separate display space is provided separately from the exposure display and date display. Further, the remaining amount display is performed by the battery check operation of a camera (not shown) so that the battery check circuit operates to detect the decrease in the power supply voltage of the battery.

[0007]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional example, the shutter speed display section 12 and the aperture value display section 13 are provided.
Since it is necessary to provide a space for displaying the remaining amount of the battery separately from the exposure value display section, the display itself becomes large accordingly. Further, when the remaining amount display is used in more detail, the number of segments increases, and the display circuit also becomes complicated.

Therefore, when it is attempted to display in a limited space and a limited number of segments, it is possible to display only two states of whether or not the remaining battery level is sufficient, as described above.

[0009] The present application is to perform a stepwise remaining amount display as a simple pattern without providing a dedicated segment or space for displaying the remaining amount of the battery.

[0010]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, at least a part of an exposure display section, a film counter display section, or a date display section configured by a digit consisting of 7 segments, and the display. The display segment arranged incidentally on the part displays the remaining battery level as a pattern. The second invention of the present application is the invention according to claim 1 in which the remaining battery level is indicated. Correspondingly, by increasing or decreasing the number of segments to be lit among the display segments of the exposure display section, the film counter display section, or the date display section, the level of the remaining battery level is displayed stepwise. Is.

[0011]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION According to the invention of claim 1 of the present application, at least a part of an exposure value display section, a film counter display section, or a date display section, which is constituted by a digit consisting of 7 segments, and the display. This is a device for displaying the remaining battery level as a picture by means of display segments additionally arranged in the section.

With this structure, it is possible to realize a large and easy-to-see display while reducing the size of the display device itself.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the invention, the exposure value display section, the film counter display section, or the date display section is made to correspond to the degree of the battery level. This is a device for displaying the level of the remaining battery level stepwise by increasing or decreasing the number of segments to be lit among the display segments.

With this configuration, the level of the remaining battery level can be displayed in more detail and easily without adding additional display segments.

[0015]

【Example】

(First Embodiment) FIG. 1 (a) is a drawing best showing the features of the present invention, and 1 is a liquid crystal display of a camera. Two
Is a digit consisting of 7 segments 2a, 2b, 2c,
It is a four-digit display section composed of four 2d and a colon 2e, and is a shutter time display section for displaying the shutter time of the exposure information of the camera. Reference numeral 3 denotes a two-digit display unit composed of two digits 3a and 3b consisting of seven segments and a decimal point 3c, which is an aperture value display unit for displaying the aperture value of the lens in the exposure information of the camera. . 4 is one digit 2a of the shutter time display section
Is a segment for displaying the remaining amount of the battery, which is part of a pattern for displaying the remaining amount of the battery graphically so that the remaining amount of the battery can be easily perceived. As described above, in this embodiment, no dedicated space for displaying the remaining amount of the battery is provided.

Next, a display mode when the above liquid crystal display is used will be described. When the camera is in the shooting state, the display shown in FIG. At this time, the shutter time display unit 2 has four digits 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d.
Is used to display the shutter control value 1/1250 seconds. Further, the aperture value display section 3 has two digits 3a,
3b and the decimal point 3c are used to display that the aperture value of the lens is F5.6. When the camera is set to the date display state by a desired operation, year / month / day or hour / minute / second display is displayed using the shutter time display section 2 and the aperture value display section 3.

FIG. 1C shows a state in which hours, minutes and seconds are displayed. The digits 2c and 2d are used to indicate the time, the digits 2a and 2b are used to indicate the minutes, the colon 2e is used to indicate the time and minute divisions, and the digits 3a and 3b are used to indicate the seconds. Further, the shutter time display unit 2 or the aperture value display unit 3 can also be used as a frame counter for displaying the number of frames taken.

Next, when the camera is put in the battery check state by a desired operation, the aperture value display section 3 displays a state indicating that the camera is in the battery check state by using the digits 3a and 3b. . On the shutter time display section 2, the remaining battery level is graphically displayed as a pattern gradually by the digits 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d and the segment 4 additionally provided on the display section.

FIG. 2A shows a display when a new battery is replaced or when the battery is almost not consumed.

FIG. 2B shows a state in which the battery is slightly consumed. This means that there is enough room for the remaining battery power.

FIG. 2 (c) shows that the battery has been consumed more than the state of FIG. 2 (a). However, it means that the remaining amount is still sufficient.

FIG. 2D shows that the battery is consumed so much that power can be supplied only to some low load circuits such as the display circuit. It means that the battery needs to be replaced with a new battery.

FIG. 2 (e) shows a display when the remaining battery level is almost zero or when a defective battery is installed.
In this case, only this display is displayed regardless of the state of the camera. It means that the battery must be immediately removed and replaced with a new one.

As described above, the graphic display is made in a stepwise manner according to the remaining amount of the battery so that the remaining amount of the battery can be easily recognized as a pattern. Generally, the remaining amount of the battery is displayed by detecting the degree of decrease in the power supply voltage of the battery.

(Second Embodiment) FIG. 3A is a view showing a second embodiment according to the present invention, and 1 is a liquid crystal display of a camera. 2 is a digit 2 consisting of 7 segments
It is a four-digit display unit composed of four a, 2b, 2c and 2d and a colon 2e, and is a shutter time display unit for displaying the shutter time of the exposure information of the camera. 3 is
It is a two-digit display section consisting of two digits 3a and 3b consisting of 7 segments and a decimal point 3c.
It is an aperture value display unit that displays the aperture value of the lens of the exposure information of the camera. 5a, 5b and 5c are all incidentally arranged on one digit 3b of the aperture value display section,
It is a segment that constitutes a part of the picture for making the graphic display that makes it easy to visually recognize the remaining battery level. There is no dedicated space for displaying the battery level.

Next, a display mode when the above liquid crystal display is used will be described. First, the display form when the camera is in the shooting state is exactly the same as the display form in the first embodiment, and therefore the description thereof is omitted here.

Next, when the camera is put in the battery check state by a desired operation, the shutter time display section 2 displays a state indicating that the camera is in the battery check state by using the digits 2a and 2b. It In the aperture value display section 3, by the digits 3a3b and the segments 5a, 5b, 5c additionally arranged on the display section,
The remaining battery level is graphically displayed as a pattern.

FIG. 3B shows a display when a new battery is replaced or when the battery is almost not consumed.

FIG. 3 (c) shows a state where the battery is slightly consumed. This means that the remaining battery level is still sufficient.

FIG. 3D shows that the battery is considerably consumed and power can be supplied only to some low load circuits such as a display circuit. It means that the battery needs to be replaced with a new battery.

FIG. 3 (e) is a display when the battery is almost empty or when a defective battery is mounted.
In this case, no matter what the camera is set to,
Only this display is displayed. It means that the battery must be immediately removed and replaced with a new one.

As described above, the graphic display is performed stepwise according to the remaining battery level so that the remaining battery level can be easily recognized as a pattern.

[0033]

As described above, the first aspect of the present application
According to the invention of claim 1, an exposure display section or a film counter section composed of a digit consisting of 7 segments,
Alternatively, by displaying at least a part of the date display section and the display segment additionally provided on the display section, the remaining battery level as a picture, a large and easy-to-see display can be realized. Further, since it is not necessary to purposely provide a dedicated space for displaying the remaining amount, the display device itself can be downsized, and the number of display segments can be reduced, so that the drive circuit for display can be downsized. Therefore, the entire display device can be inexpensive.

According to a second invention of the present application, in the invention according to claim 1, the exposure display section or the film counter display section, which corresponds to the degree of the remaining battery level,
Alternatively, by increasing or decreasing the number of segments to be lit in the display segments of the date display section, by displaying the battery remaining amount of the camera, which is characterized in that the degree of the battery remaining amount is gradually displayed, Since it is possible to display the battery level in more detail as a graphic amount without adding additional display segments, a display that is intuitively understandable is possible.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining the first embodiment of the present invention in more detail.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a conventional battery remaining amount display.

[Explanation of symbols] 1,11 Liquid crystal display 2,12 Shutter speed display 3, 13 Aperture value display 4 Segment for displaying battery level 14 Battery level indicator

Continuation of front page (58) Fields surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G03B 17/18-17/20 G03B 17/36 H04N 5/222-5/257

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. An at least one display unit of an exposure value display unit film counter display unit or a date display unit which is composed of a digit consisting of 7 segments, and a display segment incidentally arranged on the display unit, A battery remaining amount display device for a camera, which displays the remaining battery amount as a pattern. 2. The battery remaining amount display device according to claim 1, wherein the exposure value display unit is configured to correspond to a degree of the battery remaining amount,
A battery remaining amount display of the camera characterized by gradually displaying the remaining battery amount by increasing or decreasing the number of segments to be lighted among the display segments of the film counter display unit or the date display unit apparatus.