Patent ID: 6727941
Filing Date: 2004-04-27
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
A control apparatus for a camera having an automatic iris control and motor-driven zoom and focus lens functions, wherein said lens functions respond to a particular program command-set, comprising:a reprogrammable memory in which said particular program command-set of said camera is loaded, wherein said reprogrammable memory is reprogrammable in-circuit and includes an erasable programmable read-only-memory (EPROM), a random access memory (RAM) and a programmable logic array (PAL); a microcontroller operably coupled to said memory; said microcontroller accessing operating code in said EPROM during a non-reprogramming mode of said EPROM and wherein said PAL shifts said operating code and said microcontroller access to said RAM from said EPROM during a reprogramming mode of said EPROM; a zoom actuation switch operably coupled to said microcontroller and said motor-driven zoom function of said camera; a focus actuation switch operably coupled to said microcontroller and said motor-driven focus function of said camera; a multiplying digital-to-analog converter operably coupled to said microcontroller and to an analog-formatted automatic iris control of said camera, said multiplying digital-to-analog converter providing an analog control input signal to said analog-formatted automatic iris control based upon to a user-specified command so that said automatic iris control of said camera may be set at a user-specified light income level; and a user-command input operably coupled to said microcontroller wherein said user-command input corresponds to said particular program command-set of said camera so that said motor-driven zoom and focus functions of said camera and said automatic iris control of said camera is controllable by said user.