Abstract: A light emission device attachable and detachable to and from an imaging apparatus, includes: a light emission portion; a storage portion for accommodating a battery which supplies electric power to cause the light emission portion to emit light; and a capacitor which accumulates electrical energy to cause the light emission portion to emit light using the power supplied from the battery, wherein the storage portion is arranged such that the longitudinal direction of the battery accommodated in the storage portion is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the light emission portion, the capacitor is arranged such that the longitudinal direction of the capacitor is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the light emission portion, and the storage portion and the capacitor are arranged side by side in the longitudinal direction of the light emission portion.

Abstract: A communication system has a peripheral apparatus and a data processing apparatus configured to make a request for processing to the peripheral apparatus. The peripheral apparatus includes a changing unit configured to change state identification information representing a state of the peripheral apparatus by changing a value if the peripheral apparatus is continuously in a predetermined state and not changing the value if the peripheral apparatus is not continuously in the predetermined state. The data processing apparatus receives status information based on the state identification information changed by the changing unit from the peripheral apparatus, and a displaying unit displays the information about the state of the peripheral apparatus for a predetermined display time. The changing unit sets a changing cycle of the state identification information to be shorter than the predetermined display time.

Abstract: An image taking system includes an image taking circuit which photographs the object upon receipt of a photographing instruction and obtains an image representing the object, a light emitting circuit which emits stroboscopic light, a photographing control circuit which controls the image taking circuit to execute a continuous photographing where a plurality of images are continuously taken including a plurality of images with following stroboscopic light, a stroboscopic light control circuit which controls the light emitting circuit to emit the stroboscopic light when photographing the images with following stroboscopic light, and an estimating circuit which estimates, when photographing the images with following stroboscopic light, the remaining energy in the charging unit after the photographing, on the basis of each light emission and the remaining energy in the charging unit upon the light emission.

Abstract: The invention provides, according to its various embodiments, a method for secure communication that involves encoding and transmitting an optical communications signal that is encoded based on a multi-dimensional encoding technique. The multi-dimensional encoding technique includes multiple security layers and varies multiple physical characteristics of a communications signal. The multi-dimensional encoding technique may include at least one or more of encoding a phase of an optical communications signal, encoding a polarization of an optical communications signal, and encoding a frequency of an optical communications signal, or any combination thereof. According to embodiments of the invention, the encoding and/or any decoding of the optical communications signal may be carried out using one or more of an optical phase shift coding, a polarization multiplexing, and a multi-wavelength control. Multi-dimensional encoding and decoding keys are provided.

Abstract: A camera body of an instant camera is provided with four light sources LED1 to LED4 for a display. The four light sources LED1 to LED4 flash on and off in mutually different display modes in accordance with the state of progress of a series of processing of an exposure operation, a developing operation and a delivery operation which is carried out in accordance with one time photographic operation. This feature makes it possible to exactly inform a user of the state of progress of a series of processing.

Abstract: A flash apparatus operates on power supplied from internal batteries and an external battery in an auxiliary battery apparatus. A battery check is executed by detecting the charge speed at which a main capacitor is charged and comparing the charge speed with a threshold value. The threshold value is set higher when the auxiliary battery apparatus is mounted than the threshold value set when the auxiliary battery apparatus is not mounted. Thus, an accurate battery check reflecting the presence/absence of the auxiliary battery apparatus can be achieved.

Abstract: A camera body of an instant camera is provided with four light sources LED1 to LED4 for a display. The four light sources LED1 to LED4 flash on and off in mutually different display modes in accordance with the state of progress of a series of processing of an exposure operation, a developing operation and a delivery operation which is carried out in accordance with one time photographic operation. This feature makes it possible to exactly inform a user of the state of progress of a series of processing.

Abstract: A system for monitoring the life cycle of an electronic apparatus of the type that creates an output data record such as an exposed photographic film, or a digital data, sound or image file, includes a sensor in the electronic apparatus for monitoring the operation and condition of the apparatus to produce operational data; means in the electronic apparatus for appending the operational data to the data record; a data record utilization device that receives and operates on the data record; and a digital processor in the data record utilization device having a software agent that retrieves the operational data from the data record, processes the operational data and produces a message related to the life cycle of the product.

Abstract: A battery check system for use in a camera has a monitor circuit and a control circuit. The monitor circuit detects the condition of a battery used in the camera. The control circuit controls the operation of the monitor circuit and controls the operation of the camera according to the output of the monitor circuit. The control circuit causes the monitor circuit to detect the changed condition of the battery and determines a detection timing of the voltage of the battery according to the detected condition of the battery.

Abstract: In a flash circuit of a flash device, a Zener diode (37) is connected to a tap point (23f) located at an intermediate position of a secondary coil of an oscillation transformer (23). The oscillation transformer (23) and an oscillation transistor (22) constitutes an oscillation circuit. A potential at the tap point (23f) changes proportionally to a voltage charged in a main capacitor (41). When the main capacitor (41) is charged up to a set voltage, the Zener diode (37) conducts a Zener current, which activates a stopping transistor (38) and thus deactivates the oscillation circuit. When a flash charge switch (51) is turned on, an end of a light guide portion of a charge condition indicator (60) protrudes out of a lens-fitted film unit. When the main capacitor (41) is charged up to the set voltage, a light emission element starts lighting, and the light from the light emission element is projected from the end of the light guide portion.

Abstract: An electronic flash device equipped with LED indicator for providing an indication of completion of charging a main capacitor and a circuit for lowering power consumption has a controlling transistor operative to control a base current of the oscillating transistor which increases or decreases a primary current flowing through a primary winding and to be turned conductive by a current supplied from a battery through a current limiting resistor to start supply of the base current of the oscillating transistor. A secondary current generated in a secondary winding increases the base current of the controlling transistor, which increases the base current of the oscillating transistor which is lowered by the current limiting resistor having a large resistance and is increased or decreased by the controlling transistor.

Abstract: A camera system which performs light measurement by causing a flash unit to perform a preliminary emission before causing said flash unit to perform a main emission, and computes a control value for the main emission on the basis of a result of the light measurement, includes charge detecting circuitry for detecting a state of charge of a capacitor for storing energy to be used for emission of the flash unit, an upper limit value computer for computing an amount-of-emission upper limit value on the basis of a detection result provided by said charge detecting circuitry and decision circuitry for determining whether flash control under which the main emission can provide a correct amount-of-emission is possible, before the main emission on the basis of the control value and an amount-of-emission upper limit value computed by the upper limit value computer after the preliminary emission.

Abstract: In a flash device, a three-terminal switch is provided for connecting or disconnecting between a secondary coil of an oscillating transformer and a base of an oscillating transistor, between the secondary coil of the oscillating transformer and a triggering capacitor, and between the triggering capacitor and a primary coil of a triggering transformer. When the three-terminal switch is turned on, a biasing current is supplied to the base of the oscillating transistor, so a current flows through a primary coil of the oscillating transformer, and a secondary current from the secondary coil of the oscillating transformer is supplied to the main capacitor through the three-terminal switch and a base-emitter circuit of the oscillating transistor, to charge the main capacitor. The secondary current is also supplied to the triggering capacitor through the three-terminal switch, to charge the triggering capacitor.

Abstract: When an operation such as the operation of the shutter release button or the closing of the cover to the film container compartment is performed, any operation such as charging that was underway is stopped once and checking of the battery voltage level is performed with reference to reference levels, wherein it is determined whether or not any such operation was underway when either of said operations was performed, and if any such operation was underway, that operation is stopped once, and the battery voltage level is checked with reference to reference levels that are reduced by a preset amount. Consequently, an accurate check of the battery voltage level may be performed with regard to the battery voltage that had fallen due to the carrying out of such operation but that is rising to the original voltage level due to that operation being stopped.

Abstract: A single touch flash capacitor charging circuit particularly useful in low cost cameras incorporating an oscillation timeout circuit to arrest self-sustaining oscillations for conserving battery consumption. The timeout circuit includes a reference voltage integration circuit coupled to the secondary of the oscillation transformer to develop a reference voltage that is independent of battery voltage. A timer charging circuit is coupled to the voltage reference circuit and determines the timeout period. Closing of a start charge switch resets the timer charging circuit to a fixed voltage differential from the integration circuit reference voltage. When the start charge switch is opened, the timer circuit begins charging to the voltage reference. Once initiated, the flash capacitor charger circuit continues charging the flash capacitor for the duration of the timeout period set by the timer circuit.

Abstract: A camera for shortening a strobe charge time comprising the present invention discloses a camera and a method for shortening the charge time of a strobe by mounting a generator around or within a motor and applying electric energy produced from the turning of the motor to the strobe. The camera includes a switching circuit, an automatic distance measuring circuit, a brightness measuring circuit, a microcontroller, a motor driving circuit, a motor section, a generating circuit, a strobe charged by a charge signal produced from the microcontroller or by the electrical energy produced from the generating circuit, and a shutter driving circuit. The switching circuit includes a first step release switch, a second step release switch, a photographic mode switch, and a back-cover switch. The motor section includes one or more motor driven by a film winding signal or a film rewinding signal produced from the motor driving circuit, and the generating circuit likewise includes one or more generator.

Abstract: An electronic flash device having a slave emission function and a standby mode, includes a setting member for setting the slave emission function, activation means activated in response to an input generated upon the function setting operation of the setting member, and power supply control means for controlling a power supply of the electronic flash device to be turned on based on the activation of the activation means.

Abstract: Disclosed is an electronic flash apparatus of a camera incorporating a focal plane shutter. The apparatus is constructed of a capacitor for storing an electric charge, a flashtube for irradiating a subject with a flash of light by the electric charge stored in the capacitor and a setting unit capable of setting any of a signal flash mode in which the flashtube effects a single flash and a high-speed mode in which the flashtube effects high-speed repetitive flash. The apparatus is further constructed of a voltage setting unit for setting a first voltage as an energizing voltage when the single flash mode is set and setting a second voltage higher than the first voltage as an energizing voltage when the high-speed mode is set and an energizing unit for monitoring a voltage when the capacitor stores the electric charge and energizing a ready light just when the voltage in the storage of the electric charge exceeds the set energizing voltage.