Camera which reads information from a stabilized film cartridge

Claim 2

A camera using a film cartridge containing a film with a leader portion and having an information recording member movable with the rotation of a film feed spool, said camera comprising: (a) information reading means for reading information from the information recording member during rotation thereof; (b) film feed means for feeding the film; (c) a film take-up spool for receiving the film fed by said film feeding means; and (d) control means for controlling said information reading means to begin reading the information substantially at a predetermined time after the film reading is initiated, wherein the predetermined time is a time at which the film leader portion becomes wrapped around said film take-up spool.

Claim 3

A camera according to claim 1, wherein said information reading means comprises means for reading bar-code information from the information recording member.

Claim 4

A camera according to claim 1, wherein said film feed means comprises means for extruding the film from the film cartridge.

Claim 5

A camera using a film cartridge containing a film with a leader portion and having an information recording member movable with the rotation of a film feed spool, said camera comprising: (a) information reading means for reading information from the information recording member during rotation thereof; (b) film feed means for feeding the film; (c) magnetic action means for performing at least one of a writing operation and a reading operation at a magnetic recording portion of the film; (d) control means for controlling said information reading means to begin reading the information substantially at a predetermined time after the film feeding is initiated, wherein the predetermined time is a time at which the film leader portion passes said magnetic action means.

Claim 6

A camera using a film cartridge containing a film with a leader portion and having an information recording member movable with the rotation of a film feed spool, said camera comprising: (a) information reading means for reading information from the information recording member during rotation thereof; (b) film feed means for feeding the film; (c) magnetic action means for performing at least one of a writing operation and a reading operation at a magnetic recording portion of the film; (d) control means for controlling said information reading means to begin reading the information substantially at a predetermined time after the film feeding is initiated, wherein the predetermined time is a time at which the film leader portion passes said magnetic action means.

Claim 7

A camera according to claim 4, wherein said information reading means comprises means for reading bar-code information from the information recording member.

Claim 8

A camera according to claim 4, wherein said film feed means comprises means for extruding the film from the film cartridge.

Claim 9

A camera using a film cartridge containing a film with a leader portion and having an information recording member movable with the rotation of a film feed spool, said camera comprising: (a) information reading means for reading information from the information recording member during rotation thereof; (b) film feed means for feeding the film; (c) film position restriction means for restricting the position of the film; and (d) control means for controlling said information reading means to begin reading the information substantially at a predetermined time after the film feeding is initiated, wherein the predetermined time is a time at which the film leader portion passes said film position restriction means.

Claim 10

A camera using a film cartridge containing a film with a leader portion and having an information recording member movable with the rotation of a film feed spool, said camera comprising: (a) information reading means for reading information from the information recording member during rotation thereof; (b) film feed means for feeding the film; (c) film position restriction means for restricting the position of the film; and (d) control means for controlling said information reading means to begin reading the information substantially at a predetermined time after the film feeding is initiated, wherein the predetermined time is a time at which the film leader portion passes said film position restriction means.

Claim 11

A camera according to claim 7, wherein said information reading means comprises means for reading bar-code information from the information recording member.

Claim 12

A camera according to claim 7, wherein said film feed means comprises means for extruding the film from the film cartridge.

Claim 13

A camera using a film cartridge containing a film with a leader portion and having an information recording member rotatable with the rotation of a film feed spool, said camera comprising: information reading means for reading information from the information recording member during rotation thereof; film feed means for feeding the film; film position detection means for detecting a position of the film leader portion; and control means for controlling said information reading means to begin reading the information substantially at a time when said film position detection means detects the film leader portion at a predetermined position.

Claim 14

A camera using a film cartridge containing a film with a leader portion and having an information recording member rotatable with the rotation of a film feed spool, said camera comprising: information reading means for reading information from the information recording member during rotation thereof; film feed means for feeding the film; film position detection means for detecting a position of the film leader portion; and control means for controlling said information reading means to begin reading the information substantially at a time when said film position detection means detects the film leader portion at a predetermined position.

Claim 15

A camera according to claim 10, further comprising a pressure plate defining a path along which the film is fed, and wherein said film position detection means comprises means for detecting when the film leader portion passes a portion of said pressure plate.

Claim 16

A camera according to claim 10, further comprising: magnetic action means for performing at least one of a writing operation and a reading operation at a magnetic recording portion of the film; wherein said film position detection means comprises means for detecting when the film leader portion passes said magnetic action means.

Claim 17

A camera according to claim 12, wherein said magnetic action means comprises a magnetic head.

Claim 18

A camera according to claim 10, further comprising: film position restriction means for restriction the position of the film, wherein said film position detection means comprises means for detecting when the film leader portion passes said film position restriction means.

Claim 19

A camera according to claim 10, wherein said film position detection means comprises an optical detector.

Claim 20

A camera according to claim 10, wherein said film position detection means comprises a mechanical detector.

Claim 21

A camera according to claim 10, further comprising a film take-up spool for receiving the film fed by said film feed means, wherein said control means comprises state detection means for detecting when the film leader portion becomes wrapped around said film take-up spool.

Claim 22

A camera according to claim 17, wherein said state detection means comprises means for detecting a change in a traveling speed of the film.

Claim 23

A camera according to claim 17, wherein said state detection means comprises a mechanical detector.

Claim 24

An information reading apparatus for a camera using a film cartridge containing a film with a leader portion and having an information recording member movable with the rotation of a film feed spool, wherein the camera has film feed means for feeding the film and a film take-up spool for receiving the film fed by the film feed means, said apparatus comprising: (a) information reading means for reading information from the information recording member during movement thereof; and (b) control means for controlling said information reading means to begin reading the information substantially at a predetermined time after the film feeding is initiated, wherein the predetermined time is a time at which the film leader portion becomes wrapped around the film take-up spool.

Claim 25

An information reading apparatus for a camera using a film cartridge containing a film with a leader portion and having an information recording member movable with the rotation of a film feed spool, wherein the camera has film feed means for feeding the film and a film take-up spool for receiving the film fed by the film feed means, said apparatus comprising: (a) information reading means for reading information from the information recording member during movement thereof; and (b) control means for controlling said information reading means to begin reading the information substantially at a predetermined time after the film feeding is initiated, wherein the predetermined time is a time at which the film leader portion becomes wrapped around the film take-up spool.

Claim 26

An information reading apparatus according to claim 20, wherein said information reading means comprises means for reading bar-code information from the information recording member.

Claim 27

An information reading apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the film feed means comprises means for extruding the film from the film cartridge.

Claim 28

An information reading apparatus for a camera using a film cartridge containing a film with a leader portion and having an information recording member movable with the rotation of a film feed spool, wherein the camera has film feed means for feeding the film and magnetic action means for performing at least one of a writing operation and a reading operation at a magnetic recording portion of the film, said apparatus comprising: (a) information reading means for reading information from the information recording member during movement thereof; and (b) control means for controlling said information reading means to begin reading the information substantially at a predetermined time after the film feeding is initiated, wherein the predetermined time is a time at which the film leader portion passes the magnetic action means.

Claim 29

An information reading apparatus for a camera using a film cartridge containing a film with a leader portion and having an information recording member movable with the rotation of a film feed spool, wherein the camera has film feed means for feeding the film and magnetic action means for performing at least one of a writing operation and a reading operation at a magnetic recording portion of the film, said apparatus comprising: (a) information reading means for reading information from the information recording member during movement thereof; and (b) control means for controlling said information reading means to begin reading the information substantially at a predetermined time after the film feeding is initiated, wherein the predetermined time is a time at which the film leader portion passes the magnetic action means.

Claim 30

An information reading apparatus according to claim 23, wherein said information reading means comprises means for reading bar-code information from the information recording member.

Claim 31

An information reading apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the film feed means comprises means for extruding the film from the film cartridge.

Claim 32

An information reading apparatus for a camera using a film cartridge containing a film with a leader portion and having an information recording member movable with the rotation of a film feed spool, wherein the camera has film feed means for feeding the film and film position restriction means for restricting the position of the film, said apparatus comprising: (a) information reading means in the camera for reading information from the information recording member during movement thereof; and (b) control means for controlling said information reading means to begin reading the information substantially at a predetermined time after the film feeding is initiated, wherein the predetermined time is a time at which the film leader portion passes the film position restriction means.

Claim 33

An information reading apparatus for a camera using a film cartridge containing a film with a leader portion and having an information recording member movable with the rotation of a film feed spool, wherein the camera has film feed means for feeding the film and film position restriction means for restricting the position of the film, said apparatus comprising: (a) information reading means in the camera for reading information from the information recording member during movement thereof; and (b) control means for controlling said information reading means to begin reading the information substantially at a predetermined time after the film feeding is initiated, wherein the predetermined time is a time at which the film leader portion passes the film position restriction means.

Claim 34

An information reading apparatus according to claim 26, wherein said information reading means comprises means for reading bar-code information from the information recording member.

Claim 35

An information reading apparatus according to claim 26, wherein the film feed means comprises means for extruding the film from the film cartridge.

Claim 36

An information reading apparatus for a camera using a film cartridge containing a film with a leader portion and having an information recording member movable with the rotation of a film feed spool, wherein the camera has film fed means for feeding the film and film position detection means for detecting a position of the film leader portion and outputting a signal indicative of the position, said apparatus comprising: (a) information reading means for reading information from the information recording member during rotation thereof; and (b) control means for receiving the signal from the film position detection means and controlling said information reading means to begin reading the information substantially at a time when the film position detection means detects the film leader portion at a predetermined position.

Claim 37

An information reading apparatus for a camera using a film cartridge containing a film with a leader portion and having an information recording member movable with the rotation of a film feed spool, wherein the camera has film fed means for feeding the film and film position detection means for detecting a position of the film leader portion and outputting a signal indicative of the position, said apparatus comprising: (a) information reading means for reading information from the information recording member during rotation thereof; and (b) control means for receiving the signal from the film position detection means and controlling said information reading means to begin reading the information substantially at a time when the film position detection means detects the film leader portion at a predetermined position.

Claim 38

An information reading apparatus according to claim 29, wherein the camera includes a pressure plate defining a path along which the film is fed, and the film position detection means comprises means for detecting when the film leader portion passes a portion of the pressure plate, wherein said control means controls said information leading means to begin reading the information substantially when the film position detection means detects the film leader portion passing the pressure plate.

Claim 39

An information reading apparatus according to claim 29, wherein the camera includes magnetic action means for performing at least one of a writing operation and a reading operation at a magnetic recording portion of the film, and the film position detection means comprises means for sensing that the film leader portion passes said magnetic action means, wherein said control means controls said information reading means to begin reading the information substantially when the film position detection means senses the film leader portion passing the magnetic action means.

Claim 40

An information reading apparatus according to claim 31, wherein the magnetic action means comprises a magnetic head.

Claim 41

An information reading apparatus according to claim 29, wherein the camera includes film position restriction means for restricting the position of the film, and the film position detection means comprises means for detecting when the film leader portion passes said film position restriction means, wherein said control means controls said information reading means to begin reading the information substantially when the film position detection means detects the film leader portion passing the film position restriction means.

Claim 42

An information reading apparatus according to claim 29, wherein the position detection means comprises an optical detector.

Claim 43

An information reading apparatus according to claim 29, wherein the film position detection means comprises a mechanical detector.

Claim 44

An information reading apparatus according to claim 29, wherein the camera includes a film take-up spool for receiving the film fed by the film feed means, and wherein said control means comprises state detection means for detecting when the film leader portion becomes wrapped around the film take-up spool.

Claim 45

An information reading apparatus according to claim 36, wherein said state detection means comprises means for detecting a change in a traveling speed of the film.

Claim 46

An information reading apparatus according to claim 26, wherein said state detection means comprises a mechanical detector.