Electronic camera and associated printer which uses a display image

Apparatus is disclosed for capturing and printing images on a photosensitive sheet. The apparatus includes a camera for electronically storing an image of a subject and having a display for displaying such stored image and an alignment structure. A printer receives a photosensitive sheet which is driven to provide relative movement between a display area on the display and the photosensitive sheet. The printer further includes optics for focusing a the display area onto said photosensitive sheet and circuitry for providing electronic communication between the electronic camera and the printer so that the display area is imaged on the photosensitive sheet.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
The present invention is related to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 
08/767,394, filed simultaneously herewith, entitled "Electronic Camera and 
Integral Ink Jet Printer", assigned to the assignee of the present 
invention. The disclosure of these related applications is incorporated 
herein by reference. 
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to electronic cameras and to the printing of 
images produced by such camera. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
It is known in the prior art to provide an electronic camera which uses an 
area image sensor. Digital images produced from the image sensor are 
stored in memory and these images can be shown on a display so that the 
user can determine which image should be stored for use in producing hard 
copy images. Typically, these images can be stored in a magnetic disk or a 
compact PCMCIA Flash RAM Card or in dedicated memory within the camera. 
A shortcoming with prior electronic cameras is that data must be 
transmitted from the electronic camera to printer. Interfaces must be 
present to transfer the data. As disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,032,911, 
printers that write to light sensitive media print must have means within 
the printer that operate on received data and convert the data into 
modulated light to mark the photosensitive sheet. Many newer electronic 
cameras incorporate light emitting displays to view a captured image. 
However, the apparatus for producing such images is not available for 
light writing onto photosensitive media. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is an object of the present invention to make use of an electronic image 
display in an electronic camera to write directly onto light sensitive 
media which can effectively provide a hard copy. 
This object is achieved by apparatus for capturing and printing images on a 
photosensitive sheet comprising: 
(a) a camera for electronically storing an image of a subject and having a 
display for displaying such stored image and including alignment means; 
(b) a printer including means for receiving a photosensitive sheet; driving 
means providing relative movement between a display area on the display 
and the photosensitive sheet, such printer further including: 
(i) optical means for focusing the display area onto said photosensitive 
sheet; 
(ii) means for providing electronic communication between the electronic 
camera and the printer so that the printing area of said display is imaged 
on the photosensitive sheet. 
Advantages 
A feature of this invention is that a camera display is used to directly 
write onto the light sensitive media. Moreover, electronic interconnecting 
the printer and the camera permits the electronic camera to modulate the 
display in conjunction with the motion of the photosensitive sheet to 
produce an image on the photosensitive sheet.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
The invention is directed to a compact printer used in conjunction with 
electronic cameras. Such cameras often have a flat panel color display 
that is used to frame and/or review capture images. Separable printers 
exist that receive data from said electronic capture devices. Typically, 
interface electronics is disposed in each device and data is transmitted 
from the electronic camera to the printer. 
Turning now to FIG. 1, an electronic camera 10 is shown, and to FIG. 2 
where a printer 12 is shown. Electronic camera 10 is of conventional 
design and can capture either still or motion images. Images are captured 
by camera head 14 and transferred to camera electronics 16. Camera 
electronics 16 is capable of displaying still images on camera display 18. 
Camera display 18 can be for instance a LCD or organic polymer display 
system of conventional design. 
Electronic camera 10, in accordance with the present invention, includes 
the additional modification of an active socket 20 and a passive socket 22 
for the purpose of securing the printer 12 over camera display 18. Active 
socket 20 incorporates electronic sensing circuitry to communicate with 
printer 12. Electronic sensing circuitry can be a wire active socket 20 to 
communicate with printer 12. Alternatively, a light sensing/transmitting 
assembly can be incorporated in or near the active socket 20. 
The printer 12 has an active latch 24 and a passive latch 28 that permits 
the printer to be secured over the camera display 18. In this embodiment 
the latches 24 and 28 are hooked and secure to matching detail 24a formed 
in the sockets 20 and 22 of camera 10. The rear view of the camera in FIG. 
5 shows the position of the active socket 20 and the passive socket 22 and 
camera display 18. A latch driver 26 permits the selective securing and 
release of printer 12 from camera 10 under control of printer electronics 
30. A compliant, light tight mask is disposed on the printer so that 
coupling printer 12 to electronic camera 10 mask camera display 18. FIG. 3 
shows printer 12 secured to camera 10. 
Printer 12 contains a stack of media sheets 38. These sheets are light 
sensitive and are loaded into the camera and stored in light sensitive 
manner as is known in the art. A roller 40, disposed over the stack, is 
driven by roller drive 36 to advance a photosensitive sheet 42 from media 
sheets 38 past an imaging area defined by printing optic 44 and light 
baffle 48. Photosensitive sheet 42 moves from the stack into the printing 
area in a light tight fashion as is well known in the art. In one 
embodiment printing optic 44 is an array of gradient index rods that have 
been formed into a linear array. Printing optic 44 can be formed from 
Nippon Sheet Glass rod lens array type 20B which has a total conjugate 
15.1 mm. The actual element is 6.89 mm tall and first working distance 45 
and second working distance 46 are 4.10 mm. Light baffle 48 is a light 
tight shell that surrounds the printing area and masks out the light 
transmitted from camera display 18 onto photosensitive sheet 42. 
The sockets and latches are dimensionally controlled so as to align 
printing optic 44 with the light emitting elements of camera display 18. 
First working distance 45 should be located by the interface to focus on 
the light emitting elements of camera display 18. Second working distance 
46 is provided for forming an image on the imaging surface of 
photosensitive sheet 42. Printing optic 44 is accurately positioned 
relative to the display when the printer is secured to the camera 10. 
The positioning of the latches and sockets defines a display area 35 that 
will be used for printing. Light baffle 48 blocks light on both the 
sending and receiving sides of the image transfer path to minimize flare 
light. 
An image is formed on photosensitive sheet 42 by advancing photosensitive 
sheet 42 an incremental amount using roller 40 and roller drive 36. Timing 
signals from printer electronics 30 are transmitted through an interface 
formed by active latch 24 and active socket 20. The timing signals are 
received by camera electronics 16. Camera electronics 16 modulates display 
area 35 to begin writing a line of the image onto photosensitive sheet 42. 
Although the disclosed arrangement is for writing a line of pixels at a 
time, it will be understood to those skilled in the art that other image 
segments, such as two lines or more, can also be written at a time. 
Display area 35 is selectively driven by camera electronics 16 so as to 
form a line of the printed image. After display area 35 has completed 
writing a line of the image, photosensitive sheet 42 is advanced again to 
begin the next printing cycle. The process is continued until a complete 
image is formed on photosensitive sheet 42. 
After writing, the media can be passed through processing rollers that 
develop the written image and stabilize the media. Photosensitive sheets 
can be found in current art as instant silver-halide sheets or pressure 
sensitive microencapsulated crushable color particles such as disclosed in 
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,768,050, 5,049,902, and 5,122,432. Alternatively, images 
can be stored on photographic film and then stored and chemically 
processed at a later time. 
In operation, an operator obtains a print by mounting the printer 12 with 
the electronic camera 10. Latches 24 and 28 automatically secure printer 
12 in a light tight manner to camera display 18 on electronic camera 10. 
The operator signals the start of printing using printer electronics 30. 
Printer 12 advances photosensitive sheet 42 from the light tight area that 
stores media sheets 38 into a first writing position under printing optic 
44. The printer's active socket 20 provides electronic communication with 
the camera electronics 16 to indicate that it is ready to receive image 
data from printer 12 using camera display 18. Upon print initialization, 
electronic camera 10 writes a first line of data by selectively modulating 
display line 35. After the first line is written, photosensitive sheet 42 
is advanced into a position to write the second line. A signal is sent to 
electronic camera 10 and a second line is written. The process is repeated 
until a complete image is formed. 
The use of the latch driver 26 under the control of printer electronics 30 
ensures that printer 12 is not detached from electronic camera 10 during 
image transmission from camera display 18 and printer receiver device 32. 
An operator detaches printer 12 from electronic camera 10 using an 
interface to printer electronics 30 such as a conventional switch. Printer 
electronics 30 then activates latch driver 26 to permit removal of printer 
12 from camera 10. 
The invention has been described in detail with particular reference to a 
certain preferred embodiment thereof, but it will be understood that 
variations and modifications can be effected within the spirit and scope 
of the invention. 
TS LIST 
10 electronic camera 
12 printer 
14 camera head 
16 camera electronics 
18 camera display 
20 active socket 
22 passive socket 
24 active latch 
24a a detail 
26 latch driver 
28 passive latch 
30 printer electronics 
35 display line 
36 roller drive 
38 media sheets 
40 roller 
42 photosensitive sheet 
44 printing optic 
45 first working distance 
46 second working distance 
48 light baffle