Advanced Photo System Format Selector

Patentamt Europaisches || || 1 1| || || 1 1 1 1|| 1 1|| || || (19) J European Patent Office

Office europeen des brevets (11) EP 0 878 730 A1

(12) EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(43) Date of publication:ation: (51) |nt. CI.6: G03B 17/24 18.11.1998 Bulletin 1998/47

(21) Application number: 98201408.6

(22) Date of filing: 01.05.1998

(84) Designated Contracting States: (72) Inventors: AT BE CH CY DE DK ES Fl FR GB GR IE IT LI LU • Freeman, Jay Davis MC N L PT SE Rochester, New York 1 4650-2201 (US) Designated Extension States: • Carr, Thomas Daniel AL LT LV MK RO SI Rochester, New York 1 4650-2201 (US) • Chamberlain IV, Frederick Rockwell (30) Priority: 1 6.05.1 997 US 857392 Rochester, New York 1 4650-2201 (US)

(71) Applicant: EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY (74) Representative: Rochester, New York 1 4650 (US) Lewandowsky, Klaus, Dipl.-lng. et al Kodak Aktiengesellschaft, Patentabteilung 70323 Stuttgart (DE)

(54) Advanced photo system format selector

(57) In a single use camera (100), having a roll of magnetically coated film (14) with defined image frames disposed in the camera; and further having an exposure system for selectively exposing an image frame of the film in one of a plurality of image formats; the improvement comprising:

a movably mounted permanent magnet (26); and a manually selectable mechanism coupled to the permanent magnet (26) for moving the permanent magnet to record a magnetic mark on the magnetically coated film at a predetermined location relative to an exposed image frame, the location of the FIG. 3 mark being indicative of the image format of the exposed image frame.

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Description ent locations along an image frame, one each for each of said plurality of image formats; the improvement com- Field of Invention prising a movably mounted permanent magnet; and a manually selectable mechanism coupled to said perma- This invention relates in general to photographic 5 nent magnet for moving said permanent magnet to systems and relates more particularly to a format selec- erase all of said prerecorded magnetic marks except tor for the advanced photo system which uses a mag- the said mark which is indicative of the image format of netically coated film for information exchange. said exposed image frame.

Background of the Invention 10 Advantageous Effect of the Invention

In conventional photographic systems, when a pho- The present invention has the following advan- tographer wanted to photograph scenes using different tages. frame formats, either a different film and lens or a different camera needed to be used for each different format. 15 1. Provides APS format selection for a single use This was expensive, inconvenient, and annoying. The camera. Advanced Photo System (APS) introduced last year is 2. Simple and low cost multiformat selector. based on several new features which solve the multifor- 3. Permanent magnets have a long wear life and mat problem. A new film is used which has a virtually can be recycled many times. transparent magnetic coating for information storage 20 and exchange. New cameras which use the film permit Brief Description of the Drawings three different formats to be used on the same role of film. The three print formats are C-classic - proportioned Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a single use camera like conventional 35 mm film, H -group - proportioned incorporating the present invention. like HDTV, and P - panoramic - a longer format for cap- 25 Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view of a film strip illustrat- turing landscapes and panoramic views. A format ing the multiple APS formats and the location of mag- switch on the camera lets a user select and view each netic markings indicative of the format of an exposed format. This format feature requires that the film be opti- image frame. cally or magnetically recorded with this information by Figs. 3 and 4 are diagrammatic views illustrative of the camera. A need exists for a simple and low cost way 30 embodiments of the present invention. to provide this feature in a single use camera loaded with APS film. Detailed Description of the Invention

Summary of the Invention Referring now to Fig. 1 , there is shown a single use 35 camera 100 incorporating the present invention. As According to the present invention there is provided shown, camera 100 includes a light tight housing 102 a solution to the needs of the prior art. having a lens 104, a viewfinder 106, an exposure button According to a feature of the present invention there 108, and a format selector mechanism 110. Single use is provided in a single use camera, having a roll of mag- camera 1 00 is of a type that is returned whole to a photo netically coated film with defined image frames dis- 40 dealer for processing after the film has been exposed. posed in said camera; and further having an exposure Many of the camera parts can then be recycled with system for selectively exposing an image frame of said new film to be used in a new single use camera. film in one of a plurality of image formats; the improve- Single use camera 100 has loaded in it a roll of ment comprising a movably mounted permanent mag- magnetically coated film, such as APS film, magneti- net; and a manually selectable mechanism coupled to 45 cally coated 35 mm film, or the like. Fig. 2 illustrates the said permanent magnet for moving said permanent APS film format. As shown, a strip of magnetically magnet to record a magnetic mark on said magnetically coated film 120 has a sequence of image frames 122 coated film at a predetermined location relative to an defined by apertures 124. Designated magnetic record- exposed image frame, said location of said mark being ing areas 1 26 and 1 28 are located along either edge of indicative of the image format of said exposed image so an image frame 122. frame. For each exposed image frame, the camera user According to a further feature of the present inven- can select a (C) Classic, (H) HDTV/Group, or (P) Pano- tion there is provided in a single use camera, having a ramic print by means of format selector mechanism 110 roll of magnetically coated film with defined image (Fig. 1). The C, H and P formats are illustrated in the frames disposed in said camera; and further having an 55 left-hand frame 122A of Fig. 2. exposure system for selectively exposing an image According to the present invention, there is pro- frame of said film in one of a plurality of image formats, vided a simple and inexpensive format for an APS sin- and a plurality of prerecorded magnetic marks at differ- gle use camera. By manually selecting the desired

2 3 EP 0 878 730 A1 4 format by means of selector mechanism 110, a mag- 26 permanent magnet netic mark indicative of the format is associated with the 28 shutter button exposed image frame. The photofinisher uses the mark 30 linkage to print the image frame in the selected format. As 50 camera shown in Fig. 2, magnetic recording area 1 28B of image 5 52 magnetically recordable film frame 122B has illustrative magnetically recorded 54 spool marks 1 30 indicative of the C format, 1 32 indicative of 56 cartridge the H format, and 1 34 indicative of the P format. The 58 image area spatial location of the mark is indicative of the format. It 59,60,61 blocks will be understood that only one of marks 130,132,134 w 62 selector switch will be present for each exposed frame. 64 arm According to the invention, the appropriate mark 66 magnet pair can be generated using one of two techniques. A single 70 shutter button mark can be recorded by a properly located permanent 72 linkage magnet or unneeded prerecorded marks can be erased 15 1 00 single use camera by a permanent magnet to leave only the appropriate 102 light tight housing mark. Following are described two embodiments of the 104 lens present invention for effecting these techniques. 106 viewfinder Fig. 3 shows a single use camera 10 with magneti- 1 08 exposure button cally coated film 14, which is led from spool 16 to cas- 20 110 format selector mechanism sette 18. Dashed line 20 indicates the latent image area 1 20 magnetically coated film for a photograph. Selector switch 22 is connected by 122,122A,122B image frames arm 24 to permanent magnet 26, and may be moved to 1 24 apertures one of the three positions C, H, or P as indicated. The 1 26, 1 28, 1 28B magnetic recording areas magnet is normally not in contact with the film surface, 25 130,132,134 illustrative magnetically recorded and is positioned far enough away that it does not marks record to the film 14. When a picture is taken, by press- ing shutter button 28, linkage 30 cause the magnet to Claims touch the film surface, recording a magnetic mark. The relative position of the mark with respect to the frame 30 1 . In a single use camera, having a roll of magnetically determines the format (C, H, or P) for printing the photo- coated film with defined image frames disposed in graph. said camera; and further having an exposure sys- Fig. 4 shows an alternate method to provide format tem for selectively exposing an image frame of said selection. Camera 50 has magnetically recordable film film in one of a plurality of image formats; the 52, led from spool 54 to cartridge 56. Above image area 35 improvement comprising: 58, the film has three magnetic data blocks, written prior to camera assembly. Block 59 is format C, block 60 is a movably mounted permanent magnet; and format H, and block 61 is format P. Selector switch 62 a manually selectable mechanism coupled to acts through arm 64 to position magnet pair 66, such said permanent magnet for moving said per- that it is aligned to erase two of the three data blocks. 40 manent magnet to record a magnetic mark on When shutter button 70 is pressed, linkage 72 moves said magnetically coated film at a predeter- magnet pair 66 down, producing the selective erasure mined location relative to an exposed image for that frame. frame, said location of said mark being indica- The invention has been described in detail with par- tive of the image format of said exposed image ticular reference to preferred embodiments thereof, but 45 frame. it will be understood that variations and modifications can be effected within the spirit and scope of the inven- 2. In a single use camera, having a roll of magnetically tion. coated film with defined image frames disposed in said camera; and further having an exposure sys- Parts List so50 tem for selectively exposing an image frame of said film in one of a plurality of image formats, and a plu- 10 single use camera rality of prerecorded magnetic marks at different 1 4 magnetically coated film locations along an image frame, one each for each 1 6 spool of said plurality of image formats; the improvement 1 8 cassette 55 comprising: 20 dashed line 22 selector switch a movably mounted permanent magnet; and 24 arm a manually selectable mechanism coupled to

3 EP 0 878 730 A1 said permanent magnet for moving said permanent magnet to erase all of said prerecorded magnetic marks except the said mark which is indicative of the image format of said exposed image frame. 5

4 EP 0 878 730 A1

FIG. 2 P 0 878 730 A1

FIG. 4

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European Patent EUROPEAN SEARCH REPORT Application Number Office EP 98 20 1408

DOCUMENTS CONSIDERED TO BE RELEVANT category Citation ot document with indication, where appropriate, Relevant CLASSIFICATION OF THE of relevant passages to claim APPLICATION (lnt.CI.6) X US 5 170 198 A (CANNON JAMES W) 8 December 2 G03B17/24 1992 A * abstract; figure 1 * 1

X US 5 140 353 A (ST0NEHAM JEFFREY R) 18 2 August 1992 A * claim 1; figure 1 * 1

A EP 0 744 651 A (SONY CORP) 27 November 1,2 1996 * abstract; figure 1 *

US 5 583 591 A (GENDA KY0JI ET AL) 10 1,2 December 1996 * claim 1; figure 1 *

TECHNICAL FIELDS SEARCHED (lnt.CI,6) G03B

The present search report has been drawn up for all claims nace ot searcn Date of completion of the search Examiner THE HAGUE 25 August 1998 Romeo, V 1 tuUHT (Jt- Ul I tU UUUUMfcNIB T : theory orpnnciple underlying the invention E : earlier patent document, but published on, or X : particularly relevant if taken alone after the filing date Y : particularly relevant if combined with another D : document cited in the application document of the same category L : document cited for other reasons A : technological background O : non-written disclosure & : member of the same patent family, corresponding P : intermediate document document