Electronic memory means for adjusting camera electric circuits

Abstract

Apparatus for adjusting a camera electric circuit employs a non-volatile memory element for electrically storing and reading data, takes out digitized compensation data from the non-volatile memory element during a digital calculation process, and, after the calculation including the compensation data, controls an exposure control or an exposure display circuit of the camera in accordance with the calculated output, thereby dispensing with conventional analog adjustment. The compensation data may be obtained through the use of a test instrument by comparing test results against results obtained by the camera calculator or through the use of comparing a previously standarized shutter speed with the shutter speed determined by the camera calculator. The compensation value can be used to provide a corrected display. A separate compensation value for an aperture deviation can also be stored. The stored data is retained unchanged by removal of a jumper control.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A camera comprising: means for delivering analog data of exposure factors including at least information representing the brightness of an object being photographed;   an A/D converter for converting the analog data delivered by said analog data delivering means to digital data;   a calculator which receives said digital data including at least said exposure factors from said A/D converter, for delivering exposure data required for exposure, such as a shutter speed and diaphragm aperture, on the basis of said digital data;   exposure control means and/or exposure information display means which is controlled by an output of said calculator; and   a non-volatile digital memory element which is capable of electrically storing compensation data which is given to said calculator;   said calculator being responsive to a test brightness value which serves as a reference to provide a given exposure value or exposure display value for calculating an optimum compensating value to adjust an exposure value or exposure display value to be controlled which has been calculated by said calculator based upon said test value and exposure data, and storing said value in said digital memory element.   
     
     
       2. Means for adjusting camera electric circuits according to claim 1, in which said non-volatile digital memory element has a function to keep stored necessary data during an exhaustion or a removal of a power source of cameras. 
     
     
       3. A camera according to claim 2 in which said calculator effects a storing operation of the compensating value storing area of said memory element only during the adjusting operation of the camera. 
     
     
       4. Means for adjusting camera electric circuits according to claim 1, in which said non-volatile digital memory element comprises an EEPROM. 
     
     
       5. Means for adjusting camera electric circuits according to claim 1, further comprising a preset program stored in said calculator for spontaneously calculating and storing compensation data for said non-volatile digital memory. 
     
     
       6. Means for adjusting camera electric circuits according to claim 1 wherein said non-volatile digital memory element includes jumper means for permitting the storage of compensation values in said element and for preventing storage of a compensation value when said jumper means is removed. 
     
     
       7. Means for adjusting camera electric circuits according to claim 6, wherein said jumper means is associated with a predetermined memory area of said memory. 
     
     
       8. A camera according to claim 1 in which said calculator is programmed so as to read in stored data from said memory element when a power source of the camera is closed. 
     
     
       9. A camera according to claim 1 in which said compensating value is determined by said test instrument. 
     
     
       10. A camera according to claim 1 in which said compensating value is determined by said calculator. 
     
     
       11. A camera comprising: means for delivering analog data of exposure factors including at least information representing the brightness of an object being photographed;   an A/D converter for converting the analog data delivered by said analog data delivering means to digital data;   a calculator which receives said digital data including at least said exposure factors from said A/D converter, for delivering exposure data required for exposure, such as a shutter speed and a diaphragm aperture, on the basis of said digital data;   exposure control means and/or exposure information display means which is controlled by an output of said calculator;   a non-volatile digital memory means for electrically storing compensation data which is introduced into said calculator during the calculating process of said calculator so as to make an exposure control value or exposure display control value optimum; and   said memory means including terminal means for enabling data to be stored in said digital memory element only when electrically and externally accessed.   
     
     
       12. A camera comprising: means for delivering analog data of exposure factors including at least information representing the brightness of an object being photographed;   an A/D converter for converting the analog data delivered by said analog data delivering means to digital data;   a calculator which receives said digital data including at least said exposure factors from said A/D converter, for delivering exposure data required for exposure, such as a shutter speed and diaphragm aperture, on the basis of said digital data;   exposure control means and/or exposure information display means which is controlled by an output of said calculator;   non-volatile digital memory means which is capable of electrically storing compensation data which is given to said calculator;   said memory means including terminal means for enabling transfer of data to the memory means only when said terminal means is accessed; and   said calculator having a built-in program for effecting a first step of obtaining an exposure control value or exposure information display control value by using a given programmed initial value as said compensation data to an adjusting device for producing a brightness which serves as a reference value and is related to a predetermined exposure value or exposure display value, a second step of calculating a compensating value to minimize an error between the control values and said given exposure value or exposure information display value and a third step of storing said compensation value in said digital memory element, when said terminal means is accessed during an assembling process of the camera.   
     
     
       13. A camera comprising: means for delivering analog data of exposure factors including at least information representing the brightness of an object being photographed;   an A/D converter for converting the analog data delivered by said analog data delivering means to digital data;   a calculator which receives said digital data including at least said exposure factors from said A/D converter, for delivering exposure data required for exposure, such as a shutter speed and a diaphragm aperture, on the basis of said digital data;   exposure control means and/or exposure information display means which is controlled by an output of said calculator;   non-volatile digital memory means which is capable of electrically storing compensation data which is given to said calculator; and   said calculator determining an optimum exposure control value or exposure display value to a measured photometric value by using a compensating value read out from said memory element during the calculation of exposure control value or exposure display control value, and information regarding the number of film frames photographed for displaying the number of frames on the display means being stored in one storing area of said memory means and said compensating value being stored in another storing area of said memory means.   
     
     
       14. A method for operating a camera having means for delivering analog data of exposure factors including at least information on brightness of an object being photographed; an A/D converter for converting the analog data delivered by said analog data delivering means to digital data;   a calculator for receiving digital data including at least said exposure factors from the A/D converter;   exposure control means coupled to an output of said calculator and non-volatile digital memory means capable of electrically storing data provided to or generated by said calculator, said method including the steps of: measuring a brightness condition of a predetermined brightness level which is related to a given exposure periods;   detecting the lens aperture and film sensitivity values established at the time of said detection;   calculating an exposure control value based on the aforesaid inputted information;   calculating a compensation value which, when combined with the calculated exposure control value, serves to minimize an error between the control value and the given exposure value; and   storing the calculated compensation value in said memory means.     
     
     
       15. The method of claim 14 wherein said camera further includes terminal means associated with said memory means and being capable of preventing alteration of data in said memory means when in a first state and for enabling data to be altered in said memory means when in a second state, said method further comprising the step of placing said terminal means in said second state to enable storage of said compensation value in said memory means and thereafter moving the terminal means to said first state to retain the stored compensation value in said memory means and to prevent alteration of said compensation value. 
     
     
       16. The method of claim 14 further comprising the steps of performing a photographing operation subsequent to calculation and storage of said compensation value including the steps of detecting the brightness value of the image to be photographed; detecting the lens aperture and film sensitivity values existing at the time of measurement of said last mentioned brightness value;   transferring all of the aforesaid data in digital form to said calculator; and   calculating an exposure value based on said data and altering the calculated exposure value in accordance with said compensation value stored in said memory means.   
     
     
       17. The method of claim 16 further comprising the step of controlling the camera aperture and shutter to operate in accordance with the calculated compensated exposure value. 
     
     
       18. The method of claim 14 wherein said camera further comprises display means wherein said method further includes the steps of: generating a display of the corrected exposure value.   
     
     
       19. The method of claim 18 further comprising the steps of performing a photographing operation subsequent to calculation and storage of said compensation value including the steps of detecting the brightness value of the image to be photographed; detecting the lens aperture and film sensitivity values existing at the time of measurement of said last mentioned brightness value;   transferring all of the aforesaid data in digital form to said calculator; and   calculating an exposure value based on said data and altering the calculated exposure value in accordance with said compensation value stored in said memory means.   
     
     
       20. The method of clam 14 further comprising the step of storing the number of film frames and the camera photographing mode in said memory means for subsequent display. 
     
     
       21. The method of claim 20 wherein said camera further includes terminal means associated with said memory means for enabling alteration of data stored in the predetermined storage area within said memory means when occupying a first state and for preventing alteration of data stored in said predetermined area of said memory means when in a second state and including the steps of operating said terminal means to said first state during the calculation of and prior to the storage of said compensation factor; and thereafter operating said terminal means to said second state to prevent alteration of said compensation factor while permitting alteration of data in storage areas of said memory means other than said predetermined storage area.   
     
     
       22. The method of claim 14 wherein a compensation value is calculated and stored for a plurality of different film sensitivities by repeating the method steps of claim 17 for each film sensitivity. 
     
     
       23. The method of claim 14 further comprising the steps of storing an aperture compensation value which, when combined with the detected aperture value, provides an aperture value whose deviation from the preset aperture value is minimized and storing said aperture value in said memory means for use during a photographing operation. 
     
     
       24. The method of claim 23 further comprising the steps of establishing the aperture value upon initiation of a photographing operation including the steps of transferring the aperture value detected by the means for delivering exposure factors to said calculator; combining said detected aperture value with the stored aperture correction value stored in said memory means; and   setting the camera aperture to the corrected aperture value.   
     
     
       25. The method of claim 24 wherein said camera further includes a contact piece associated with the aperture mechanism and slideably engaging a cooperating comb-like member; storing said aperture correction value in the form of a number of pulses;   calculating the aperture value as a number of pulses;   combining said aperture value and said aperture correction value to yield an altered number of pulses representative of the desired and corrected aperture value; and   halting the aperture setting operation when the number of pulses detected by said contact piece equals to the corrected number of pulses generated by said calculator.   
     
     
       26. The method of claim 14 wherein said camera further includes sensing means for automatically sensing film sensitivity data from a film cartridge loaded into the camera, said method stpe of inputting film sensitivity information further comprises the step of transferring the data sensed by the sensing means to said calculator. 
     
     
       27. The method of claim 14 further comprising input means for manufally inserting data and wherein said step of introducing data utilized in the calculation of the exposure time correction factor further includes the step of operating said manual means for entry of said data. 
     
     
       28. A method for operating a camera having means for delivering analog data of exposure factors including at least information on brightness of an object being photographed; an A/D converter for converting the analog data delivered by said analog data delivering means to digital data;   a calculator for receiving digital data including at least said exposure factors from the A/D converter;   exposure control means coupled to an output of said calculator and non-volatile digital memory means capable of electrically storing data provided to or generated by said calculator, said method including the steps of   providing a predetermined brightness value to the camera enabling said means for delivering said exposure factors to generate information representing said brightness value, which preset brightness value serves as a reference to provide a given exposure value;   detecting the lens aperture and film sensitivity conditions existing at the time said brightness value is detected;   transferring said values to said calculator in digital form;   calculating an exposure value based on said data supplied to said calculator;   comparing the calculated value with the standard value to generate a compensation value, which, when combined with the calculated exposure value, minimizes the error between the calculated value and the standard value; and   storing said calculated compensation value in said memory means preparatory to subsequent photographing operations. .Iadd.   
     
     
       29.  A camera comprising: a) a photometric circuit for providing analog signals including photometric information;   b) A/D converting means for converting said analog signals to digital signals;   c) digital operation means which performs an operation on said digital signals and other digital signals necessary for determining exposure in order to obtain a proper exposure value;   d) non-volatile memory means having a plurality of memory areas;   e) memory and control means for storing an adjusting value to obtain a proper exposure at each film sensitivity range in corresponding memory areas of said memory means, said each film sensitivity range being obtained by dividing an entire range of film sensitivity into a plurality of film sensitivity ranges; and   f) reading-out means for reading-out the adjusting value corresponding to a given film sensitivity value from a corresponding area of said non-volatile memory means and for providing the read-out value to said digital operation means..Iaddend. .Iadd.30. A camera comprising:   a) a photometric circuit for providing analog signals including photometric information;   b) A/D converting means for converting said analog signals to digital signals;   c) digital operation means which performs an operation on the digital signals and other digital signals necessary for determining exposure in order to obtain a proper exposure value; and   d) non-volatile memory means having a plurality of memory areas in which exposure adjustment data which are to be read out prior to an exposure operation and provided to said digital operation means for determining an exposure display value or for controlling an exposure operation are stored in a first memory area of the non-volatile memory means and at least data representative of use states of the camera which are read out when the power supply is turned on are stored in the other memory areas..Iaddend.   
     
     
        .Iadd.31.  A camera as defined in claim 30 in which the data representative of the use states of the camera are data related to the number of exposed film frames..Iaddend. .Iadd.32. A camera as defined in claim 30 in which the data representative of the use states of the camera are data related with exposure compensation..Iaddend. .Iadd.33. A camera as defined in claim 30 in which the data representative of the use states of the camera body are data related with photographing modes..Iaddend. .Iadd.34. A camera comprising: a) a photometric circuit for providing analog signals including photometric information;   b) A/D converting means for converting said analog signals into digital signals;   c) digital operation means which performs an operation on the digital signals and other digital signals necessary for determining exposure in order to obtain a proper exposure value;   d) non-volatile memory means which stores at least adjusting data for obtaining a proper exposure value and provides the adjusting data to said digital operation means; and   e) terminal means which is accessed during a camera assembling process; and   f) memory control means which allows the adjusting data to be written in the memory area of the non-volatile memory media only when said terminal means is accessed..Iaddend. .Iadd.35. A camera as defined in claim 34 in which said terminal means is included in said non-volatile memory   
     
     
        means..Iaddend. .Iadd.36.  A camera as defined in claim 35 in which said terminal means is included in said digital operation means..Iaddend. 
     
     
        .Iadd.7.  A camera including: a) a photometric circuit for providing analog signals including photometric information;   b) A/D converting means for converting said analog signals into digital signals;   c) digital operation means which performs an operation on said digital signals and other digital signals necessary for determining exposure in order to obtain a proper exposure value; and   d) non-volatile memory means which stores adjusting data and provides said adjusting data to said digital operation means;   said non-volatile memory means comprising:   e) a non-volatile memory element having a plurality of predetermined memory areas in which stored memory data can be electrically erased and holding of the contents in the memory is possible even when supply of power is interrupted;   f) a first terminal which is to be connected with said digital operation means to receive memory data which are to be written in said non-volatile memory element;   g) a register which temporarily stores the data which have been received via said first terminal;   h) writing means for writing the contents stored in said register into a corresponding memory element of said non-volatile memory means in a non-volatile manner;   i) an electrically accessed second terminal provided separately from said first terminal; and   j) protection means which allows the data in said register to be written into a corresponding specific memory area of said non-volatile memory element in a non-volatile manner when said second terminal is accessed and allows the data to be written into memory areas other than the specific memory area in a non-volatile manner and prohibits the data to be written into the specific memory area when the second terminal is not   
     
     
        accessed..Iaddend. .Iadd.38.  A camera comprising: a) signal providing means for providing digitalized photographic information including at least information on brightness of an object being photographed;   b) memory means which stores in a part of the memory area adjusting data for correcting an exposure level to a proper level; and   c) a microcomputer into which the output of said signal providing means and the adjusting data in said memory means are inputted for performing an operation on the inputted data to output a proper exposure data;   d) whereby said microcomputer accesses the adjusting data area part of said memory means and executes a program for writing said adjusting data only when it receives a signal identifying a camera assembly process, provided   
     
     
        from the outside of the camera..Iaddend. .Iadd.39.  A camera comprising: a) signal providing means for providing digitalized photographic information including at least information on brightness of an object being photographed;   b) memory means which stores in a part of a memory area of said memory means adjusting data for correcting an exposure level to a proper level; and   c) a microcomputer into which the output of said signal providing means and the adjusting data stored in said memory means are inputted for performing an operation on the inputted data to output proper exposure data;   d) whereby said microcomputer computes said adjusting data from the exposure data obtained from the output of the photographic information providing means based upon given exposure conditions and reference data which gives a proper exposure under given exposure conditions and stores the adjusting data in said memory means only when it receives a camera assembly process identifying signal from the outside of the   
     
     
        camera..Iaddend. .Iadd.40.  A camera comprising: a) a memory means which may be electrically rewritten and stores adjusting data to obtain a proper exposure value and data representative of camera operation modes and is capable of retaining the contents in the memory means even when a power source is turned off;   b) operation mode selecting means for selecting any of a plurality of camera operation modes responsive to the actuation of an operation switch;   c) display means for displaying the selected operation mode; and   d) a control means which causes said memory means to store data representative of the operation mode selected by said operation mode selection means and reads out the data stored in the memory means for presetting the camera operation mode in said operation mode selecting means based on the read-out of data from said memory means at least when a power source is turned on..Iaddend.