Battery system for camera

Claim 2

A camera body to which detachably mountable is a battery pack including a reusable secondary battery, calculation means for calculating the amount of charge and discharge of said secondary battery, and output means for releasing a signal, indicating the remaining capacity of the secondary battery, obtained from the result of said calculation, the camera body comprising: means for receiving the signal, indicating the remaining capacity, from said output means; and means for displaying the remaining capacity of battery, based on said signal indicating the remaining capacity.

Claim 3

A battery system for use in a camera, comprising: a camera body; first battery-means including a reusable secondary battery, calculation means for calculating the amount of charge and discharge of said secondary battery and output means for releasing a signal indicating the remaining capacity of the secondary battery obtained from the result of said calculation; and second battery means including a non-reusable primary battery; the first battery means and the second battery means being selectively mountable to the camera body; the camera body including: means for identifying the kind of mounted battery means; check means for checking the remaining capacity of the primary battery of said second battery means and releasing a signal indicating the remaining capacity of said primary battery; means for receiving said signal, indicating the remaining capacity of said secondary battery, from said output means; and display means for displaying the remaining capacity of said primary or secondary battery; wherein said display means is adapted to display the remaining capacity of the secondary battery, based on said signal indicating the remaining capacity thereof, when the first battery means is mounted to said camera body, or the remaining capacity of the primary battery, based on said signal indicating the remaining capacity thereof, when the second battery means is mounted to said camera body.

Claim 4

A battery pack to be detachably mounted to a camera body, comprising: a reusable secondary battery; means for calculating the amount of charge and discharge of said secondary battery; and display means for displaying the remaining capacity of the secondary battery, obtained from the result of said calculation; wherein the display of said display means being observable from the rear side of the camera body when the battery pack is mounted to the camera body.

Claim 5

A battery pack according to claim 4, further comprising: first control means for manually controlling the function of said display means; and second control means for causing said display means to funtion in relation to the connecting operation of said battery pack to a camera body or a charger.

Claim 6

A camera body to which first battery means including a reusable secondary battery, calculation means for calculating the amount of charge and discharge of said battery, and display means for displaying the remaining capacity of the secondary battery obtained from the result of said calculation, and second battery means including a non-reusable primary battery are selectively mountable, the camera body comprising: second display means adapted to said second battery means and capable of checking and displaying the remaining capacity of said primary battery; detection means for detecting that said first battery means is mounted to the camera body; and control means for controlling said second display means in response to the output of said detection means.

Claim 7

A battery system for use in a camera, comprising: a camera body; and a battery pack detachably mountable to the camera body and including a reusable secondary battery and information memory means; the camera body including: communication means for communicating with said information memory means; calculation means for calculating the amount of charge and discharge of said secondary battery; and displaying means for displaying the remaining capacity of the secondary battery, obtained from the result of said calculation; wherein information indicating the remaining capacity of the secondary battery and stored in said information memory means is transmitted to said calculation means through said communication means when the battery pack is mounted to the camera body, and information, indicating the remaining capacity of the secondary battery, obtained in said calculation means is transmitted to said information memory means through said communication means.

Claim 8

A battery system according to claim 7, wherein said camera body further includes means for detecting the mounting and detaching of the battery pack to and from the camera body and respectively releasing first and second timing signals in response to said detections, wherein, in response to said first timing signal, the information stored in said information memory means and indicating the remaining capacity of the secondary battery is transmitted to said calculation means, and the information indicating the remaining capacity of the secondary battery, obtained in said calculation means is transmitted to and memorized in said information memory means.

Claim 9

A battery system for use in a camera, comprising: a camera body; and a battery pack detachably mountable to the camera body and including a reusable secondary battery and information memory means; the camera body including; communication means for communicating with said information memory means; calculation means for calculating the amount of charge and discharge of said secondary battery; displaying means for displaying the remaining capacity of the secondary battery, obtained from the result of said calculation; and clock means; wherein, when the battery pack is mounted to the camera body, the information indicating the remaining capacity of the secondary battery and the time data, both stored in said information memory means, are transmitted through said communication means to said calculation means, which calculates the amount of spontaneous discharge of the secondary battery from said time data and the current time indicated by said clock means, and determines the remaining capacity of the secondary battery from said spontaneous discharge amount and said amount of charge and discharge; and the information indicating the remaining capacity of the secondary battery, obtained in said calculation means, and the time data are transmitted through said communication means and stored in said information memory means.

Claim 10

A battery system for use in a camera, comprising: a camera body; a battery pack detachably mountable to the camera body and including a reusable secondary battery chargeable with a charger, and information memory means; and a battery charger including first communication means for communicating with said information memory means, and first calculation means for calculating amount of charging of the secondary battery; the camera body including; second communication means for communicating with said information memory means; second calculation means for calculating the amount of discharge of said secondary battery; and display means for displaying the remaining capacity of the secondary battery, obtained by said calculation means; wherein, when the charger is connected to the battery pack, the information indicating the remaining capacity of the secondary battery and stored in said information memory means is transmitted through said first communication means to said first calculation means, and the information indicating the remaining capacity of the secondary battery after charging, obtained from said first calculation means is transmitted to and stored in said information memory means; and when the battery pack is mounted to the camera body, the information indicating the remaining capacity of the secondary battery and stored in said information memory means is transmitted through said second communication means to said second calculation means, and the information indicating the remaining capacity of the secondary battery, obtained by said second calculation means is transmitted by said second calculation means is transmitted to and stored in said information memory means.

Claim 11

A battery system for use in a camera, comprising: a camera body; a battery pack detachably mountable to the camera body and including a reusable secondary battery chargeable with a charger, clock means and information memory means; and a battery charger including first communication means for communicating with said information memory means and first calculation means for calculating the amount of charging of the secondary battery; the camera body including; second communication means for communicating with said information memory means; second calculation means for calculating the amount of discharge of said secondary battery; and display means for displaying the remaining capcity of the secondary battery, obtained by said calculation means; wherein, when the charger is connected to the battery pack, the information indicating the remaining capacity of the secondary battey and time data, both stored in said information memory means, are transmitted through said first communication means to said first calculation means, which calculates the amount of spontaneous discharge of the secondary battery based on the time data and determines the remaining capacity of the secondary battery based on said spontaneous discharge amount and said amount of discharge, and the remaining capacity of the secondary battery obtained in said second calculation means is transmitted to and stored in said information memory means.

Claim 12

A camera system comprising: a camera body; and a battery pack detachably mountable to the camera body, including a reusable secondary battery, measurement means for measuring the amount of charge and discharge of said secondary battery, calculation means for calculating the remaining capacity of the secondary battery based on the result of measurement by said measurement means, and display means for displaying the remaining capacity of said secondary battery; the camera body including; load means for consuming the current supplied from said secondary battery; control means for effecting on-off control of said load means; and signal generating means for generating a timing signal indicating the control timing of said control means; wherein the function timing of said measurement means and said calculation means is controlled according to said timing signal.

Claim 13

A camera system according to claim 12, wherein said timing signal controls the start timing of measurement of the amount of the charge and discharge by said measurement means.

Claim 14

A camera system according to claim 12, wherein said timing signal controls the timing from start to end of measurement of the amount of charge and discharge by said measurement means.

Claim 15

A battery pack for detachably mounting on a camera, the pack comprising a rechargeable battery, means for sensing the charging and/or discharging of the battery and for generating in response thereto a signal indicating the remaining capacity of the battery and means for feeding the signal to such a camera when mounted thereon.

Claim 16

A camera arranged to be powered selectively by either a rechargeable battery pack as claimed in claim 15 or a non-reusable battery pack, the camera comprising means for sensing the remaining capacity of the non-reusable battery pack and for generating a signal in response thereto, the camera being provided with means for determining which one of said battery pack is connected and in response thereto for selecting between the respective signals.

Claim 17

A camera arranged to be powered by one of two types of battery pack connected thereto, said camera comprising a display means and means for determining which of the two types of battery pack is connected and for inhibiting or enabling said display means in response to the determination.

Claim 18

A battery pack for detachably mounting on a camera, the pack comprising a rechargeable battery, memory means for storing data indicative of the remaining capacity of said battery and means for receiving from a camera when mounted thereon a signal representing a calculated discharge of said battery and for feeding said signal to said memory means.

Claim 19

A battery pack as claimed in claim 18, arranged to be recharged by a charger and having means for recoving from such a charger a signal representing a calculated charging of said battery and for feeding said signal to said memory means.

Claim 20

A camera comprising a detachable battery pack including a rechargeable battery, means for calculating the remaining capacity of the battery on the basis of sensed charging and/or discharging thereof, means for sensing when a load is connected to the battery and means for operating the calculating means in response to the sensing of a connected load by said sensing means.