Patent Publication Number: US-2012044376-A1

Title: Filter conversion device

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     Relevant subject matter is disclosed in the co-pending U.S. patent application (Attorney Docket No. US34485) having the same title, which is assigned to the same herein named assignee. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present disclosure relates to a filter conversion device. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Camera filters are transparent or translucent optical elements that alter the properties of light entering the camera lens for improving the image being captured. Filters can affect contrast, sharpness, highlight flare, color, and light intensity, either individually, or in various combinations. For cameras, which work in the light and in the dark, a conversion device is needed. The conversion device selects a filter in the light and a different filter for dark. However, the camera cannot ensure whether the filter conversion device works. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Many aspects of the embodiments can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present embodiments. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views. 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram of an exemplary embodiment of a filter conversion device. 
         FIG. 2  is a circuit diagram of the filter conversion device of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic diagram of the filter conversion device of  FIG. 1  in another state. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The disclosure, including the accompanying drawings, is illustrated by way of example and not by way of limitation. It should be noted that references to “an” or “one” embodiment in this disclosure are not necessarily to the same embodiment, and such references mean at least one. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , an exemplary embodiment of a filter conversion device includes a first filter  10 , a second filter  12 , a motor M, a body  16 , a microswitch SW 1 , and a resistor R. The filter conversion device is set between a lens and an image sensor of a camera  1 , to select the first filter  10  or the second filter  12  in the light or dark. 
     The motor M and the mircoswitch SW 1  are connected to a processor  20  and a control circuit  22  of the camera with a connector  19 . The control circuit  22  outputs different voltage signals to the motor M to make the motor M rotate forwards or backwards according to the processor  20 . As a result, the first filter  10  and the second filter  12  are adjusted. 
     The microswitch SW 1  is mounted on the body  16 , and adjacent to a first end of the second filter  12 . In other embodiments, the microswitch SW 1  can be mounted adjacent to a first end of the first filter  10 . 
     The connector  19  includes first to fourth terminals P 1 -P 4 . The first terminal P 1  is connected to the processor  20  with the control circuit  22  of the camera. The second terminal P 2  and the third terminal P 3  are respectively connected to two terminals of the motor M. The fourth terminal P 4  of the connector  19  is connected to a first terminal of the microswitch SW 1 . The first terminal of the microswitch SW 1  is further connected to a power supply VCC with the resistor R. A second terminal of the microswitch SW 1  is grounded. 
     In the light, the processor  20  controls the motor M to move the second filter  12  between the lens and the image sensor of the camera ( FIG. 1 ). According to the principle of the microswitch, the microswitch SW 1  is turned off because the second filter  12  is away from the microswitch SW 1 . At this time, the fourth terminal P 4  of the connector  19  receives a high level signal and outputs the high level signal to the processor  20 . As a result, the processor  20  determines that the second filter  12  is between the lens and the image sensor. 
     In the dark, the processor  20  controls the motor M to move the first filter  10  between the lens and the image sensor of the camera ( FIG. 3 ). According to the principle of the microswitch, the microswitch SW 1  is turned on because the second filter  12  contacts the microswitch SW 1 . At this time, the fourth terminal P 4  of the connector  19  receives a low level signal and outputs the low level signal to the processor  20 . As a result, the processor  20  determines that the first filter  10  is between the lens and the image sensor, as shown in  FIG. 3 . 
     The foregoing description of the embodiments of the disclosure has been presented only for the purposes of illustration and description and is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure to the precise forms disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above everything. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to explain the principles of the disclosure and their practical application so as to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the disclosure and various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. Alternative embodiments will become apparent to those of ordinary skills in the art to which the present disclosure pertains without departing from its spirit and scope. Accordingly, the scope of the present disclosure is defined by the appended claims rather than the foregoing description and the exemplary embodiments described therein.