US5666573A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Camera with rewritable memory
Assignee: Fujinon Corp
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Filing: 1996-10-07
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Granted: 1997-09-09
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Expires: 2016-10-07
Abstract
Abstract A microcomputer and an EEPROM are mounted on a flexible printed circuit board. A land of the flexible printed circuit board is fixed to the upper wall of a cassette chamber. Provided on the bottom surface of this land are a reflection type photosensor for reading a bar code of a photographic film cassette and a plurality of contacts. The reflection type photosensor and the plurality of contacts are exposed in the cassette chamber via an opening formed in the upper wall. A data input apparatus has a connector and a console unit. As the connector is inserted into the cassette chamber, each connector pin of the connector contacts each of the plurality of contacts to electrically connect the microcomputer to the data input apparatus. By manipulating the console unit of the data input apparatus, various sets of data are written in EEPROM via the microcomputer of the camera. Data in EEPROM is read by the data input apparatus.
Inventors
- 👤 Kiyotaka Kobayashi
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 21:10
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03B; G03B17/00; G03B7/00; G03B7/24; G03B2206/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
195 words
A camera with a cassette chamber for accommodating a photographic film cassette, the photographic film cassette having a cassette shell, a spool rotatively housed in the cassette shell, a photographic film wound about the spool, a bar code disk mounted on one end of the spool, and a window formed in a first end wall for exposing a bar code on the bar code disk, and the cassette chamber having an entrance via which the photographic film cassette is inserted in the axial direction of the spool and a first wall facing the first end wall, the photographic film being advanced by rotation of the spool outside of the cassette, the camera comprising: a circuit board disposed at the outside of the first wall; a photosensor mounted on said circuit board for optically reading the bar code via the window; a memory storing plural sets of photographing data; a plurality of contacts formed on said circuit board, said contacts to which an external apparatus for data read/write of said memory is connected; and at least one opening formed in said first wall for exposing said photosensor and said plurality of contacts in the cassette chamber.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
195 words
A camera with a cassette chamber for accommodating a photographic film cassette, the photographic film cassette having a cassette shell, a spool rotatively housed in the cassette shell, a photographic film wound about the spool, a bar code disk mounted on one end of the spool, and a window formed in a first end wall for exposing a bar code on the bar code disk, and the cassette chamber having an entrance via which the photographic film cassette is inserted in the axial direction of the spool and a first wall facing the first end wall, the photographic film being advanced by rotation of the spool outside of the cassette, the camera comprising: a circuit board disposed at the outside of the first wall; a photosensor mounted on said circuit board for optically reading the bar code via the window; a memory storing plural sets of photographing data; a plurality of contacts formed on said circuit board, said contacts to which an external apparatus for data read/write of said memory is connected; and at least one opening formed in said first wall for exposing said photosensor and said plurality of contacts in the cassette chamber.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
28 words
A camera according to claim 1, wherein said at least one opening includes a first opening facing said photosensor and a second opening facing said plurality of contacts.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
18 words
A camera according to claim 1, wherein said entrance is formed at the bottom of a camera body.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
44 words
A camera according to claim 3, wherein the external apparatus has a connector having generally the same shape as the cassette, and a plurality of pins are disposed on an end face of the connector, the plurality of pins contacting the plurality of contacts.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
127 words
A camera with a cassette chamber, a photographic film cassette being inserted via an entrance of the cassette chamber into the cassette chamber with a bar code disk side being headed, and a bar code disposed on the bar code disk being read by a photosensor mounted on a circuit board while the bar code disk rotates together with the spool of the photographic film cassette in the cassette chamber, the camera comprising: a memory storing plural sets of photographing data; and a plurality of first contacts formed on the circuit board, said plurality of first contacts contacting a plurality of second contacts of an external apparatus when the external apparatus is housed in the cassette chamber, and the external apparatus performing data read/write of said memory.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
127 words
A camera with a cassette chamber, a photographic film cassette being inserted via an entrance of the cassette chamber into the cassette chamber with a bar code disk side being headed, and a bar code disposed on the bar code disk being read by a photosensor mounted on a circuit board while the bar code disk rotates together with the spool of the photographic film cassette in the cassette chamber, the camera comprising: a memory storing plural sets of photographing data; and a plurality of first contacts formed on the circuit board, said plurality of first contacts contacting a plurality of second contacts of an external apparatus when the external apparatus is housed in the cassette chamber, and the external apparatus performing data read/write of said memory.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
37 words
A camera according to claim 5, wherein the external apparatus has a connector having the generally same shape as the cassette, and said plurality of second contacts are pins disposed on an end face of the connector.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2000-09-08 | 2001-03-10 | 2001-09-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2004-09-08 | 2005-03-10 | 2005-09-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2008-09-08 | 2009-03-10 | 2009-09-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |