Abstract:
An indicating apparatus combined with flash is disclosed in this invention. The indicating apparatus includes at least one LED and a light guide rod. The LED is employed for indicating, and the light guide rod, around the flash, is employed to guide the light emitted from the LED.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD  
       [0001]     This invention relates to an indicating apparatus, and more particularly to an indicating apparatus applied to an image capture apparatus.  
       BACKGROUND  
       [0002]     For the skilled in the arts, the conventional image capture apparatuses having an indicating LED provide time indicating function. For example, when users start the self-timer, the users can know a remaining time to shoot with a blinking frequency of the LED. In general, the remaining time is shorter and the blinking frequency is higher. Some digital cameras employ the LED as a focus aid light. When the object is too close to the digital camera or the ambient light is not enough, the LED focus aid light will emit a light to the object to increase the illumination for the object and so the digital camera can focus accurately.  
         [0003]     Generally, the flash is the most common artificial light for photographer. Recently, the flash assembled on the image capture apparatus can not continuously, instantly operate due to the flash need a charging time when the user hopes to continuously shoot under low light environment. Therefore, an LED indicating apparatus is assembled on the image capture apparatus for indicating the charging condition of the flash or being as a self-timer indicating light. The aforementioned LED indicating apparatus has only time indicating function with frequently blinking, and the user knows the condition of the image capture apparatus according to only the blinking frequency. Therefore, the LED indicating apparatus only displays simple and easy indication.  
         [0004]      FIG. 1  shows a schematic diagram of the conventional image capture apparatus. A camera  100  comprises basic elements of a lens  102 , an optical viewfinder  104 , a flash module  106 , a remote control sensor  108 , an LED indicating apparatus  110 , and a shutter button  112 . The LED indicating apparatus  110  and the flash module  106  are different portions, and the LED indicating apparatus  110  has indicating function with only blinking frequency. Hence, the LED indicating apparatus  110  can not satisfy the indicating requirement under that the camera needs more than two indications.  
         [0005]     The LED indicating apparatus  110  is not connected with any control apparatus, so the user can control or adjust the indicating function thereof. The user is compelled to use the single indicating function. The indicating function is too monotonous for some users.  
         [0006]     A performance of the flash module is developed rapidly, from manual adjusting, automatic adjusting, to automatic flash exposing. In addition, the LED is employed as an indicating light and assembled on a position of a front cover in the camera, different from the assembled position of the flash module. The conventional flash module only provides the illumination for shooting, and has no additional functions. Accordingly, the conventional flash module and LED indicating apparatus is simpler on design. As shown in  FIG. 2 , a flash module  200  comprises a lamp screen  204 , a reflecting mirror  206 , a lamp module  208 , and an LED indicating apparatus  202 . The flash module  200  can be electrically connected with the LED indicating apparatus  202  through a circuit, so the LED indicating apparatus  202  can indicate the condition of the flash module  200 , such as charging condition. Alternatively, the LED indicating apparatus  202  can be electrically connected with a self-timer to indicate the remaining time to shoot, so the user can expect the shooting time point and get a preferable picture. The aforementioned functions satisfy only common requirements, and the user easily feels that the functions are boring.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0007]     One of objectives of the present invention is to provide an LED indicating apparatus combined with a light guide rod. The present invention further provides an indicating apparatus applied for indicating the condition of the image capture apparatus.  
         [0008]     Another objective of present invention is to provide an indicating apparatus formed by a plurality of LEDs that the blinking frequency of each of LED is determined according to different indicating mode.  
         [0009]     Still another objective of present invention is to make user know the condition of the image capture apparatus, and further provide a mode selection function of the indicating apparatus.  
         [0010]     Another objective of present invention is to provide a system for updating the indicating mode. The updating system is an electrical apparatus, and users can update the indicating mode with various indicating modes provided by the manufacturer, through the signal input/output ports of the electrical apparatus.  
         [0011]     The present invention employs the LED indicating apparatus round the flash module to provide a pre-flash function. The pre-flash function of the LED indicating apparatus is employed to shrink subjects&#39; pupils for avoiding red-eye reaction. Moreover, using the pre-flash function of the LED indicating apparatus can reduce the usage times of the flash and extend the life of the flash.  
         [0012]     The present invention also provides users to set indicating modes as user&#39;s wish, and furthermore the indicating mode of the LED can be changed through an electrical apparatus.  
         [0013]     As aforementioned, the present invention provides an indicating apparatus combined with a flash. The indicating apparatus provides various indicating functions to make the user know the operating condition of the image capture apparatus. The indicating apparatus combined with a flash comprises at least one LED, a flash module, and a light guide rod. The LED provides indicating and pre-flash function. The light guide rod round the flash module guides a light emitted by the LED there-into. The flash module comprises a lamp screen and a lamp module. The lamp module has a lamp and a curved mirror. The light guide rod mentioned above protects the flash module from electro-static discharge (ESD) and an external force.  
         [0014]     The present invention also provides an image capture apparatus. The image capture apparatus comprises a body, at least one LED on the body, a light guide rod, and a flash module on said body. The LED provides an indicating function to make the user know the operating condition of the image capture apparatus. The light guide rod guides a light emitted by the LED there-into. The light guide rod protects the flash module from ESD and an external force.  
         [0015]     The present invention still provides an indicating apparatus combined with a flash. The indicating apparatus comprises a flash module and at least one LED. The LED around the flash module provides an illumination for shooting and an indicating function. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0016]     The foregoing aspects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will become more readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:  
         [0017]      FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram of an arrangement of a flash and an LED in a conventional digital camera;  
         [0018]      FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram of a flash module and an LED assembled nearby the flash module;  
         [0019]      FIG. 3  is a block diagram of a light detector and an indicating apparatus of a flash module and LEDs according to the present invention;  
         [0020]      FIG. 4  is a schematic diagram of a camera and an indicating apparatus combined with a flash module according to the present invention;  
         [0021]      FIG. 5  is a schematic diagram of an indicating apparatus comprising a flash module, an LED, and a light guide rod according to the present invention;  
         [0022]      FIG. 6  is a schematic diagram of an indicating apparatus comprising a plurality of LEDs surrounding a flash module according to the present invention;  
         [0023]      FIG. 7  is an operating flowchart of an indicating apparatus for an image capture apparatus according to the present invention; and  
         [0024]      FIG. 8  is an operating flowchart of an indicating apparatus according to the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0025]     Some sample embodiments of the invention will now be described in greater detail with the accompanying drawings.  
         [0026]      FIG. 3  is a block diagram  300  of a light detector and an indicating apparatus comprising a flash module and LEDs according to the present invention, which comprising a flash  302 , a self-timer light  304 , a focus aid light  306 , a light detector  308 , a pre-flash function  310 , a light guide rod  312 , and an image capture apparatus condition indicating  314 . The flash module  302  mainly provides an illumination for shooting. The self-timer light  304  is employed to make users expect the shooting time point when the users start the self-timer mode, so the users can get a preferable picture. The focus aid light  306  provides a proper illumination to aid lens in auto-focusing under an insufficient brightness condition. The light detector  308  detects if the brightness of the environment is sufficient, and determines if the flash and the indicating mode need work. The pre-flash function  310  is employed to avoid red-eye reaction due to shooting with a flash under an insufficient brightness condition. The present invention employs the LED indicating apparatus to provide the pre-flash function, and subjects&#39; pupils will shrink resulted from the pre-flashing light and to reducing the light reflected by the pupils. The light guide rod  312  is assembled round the flash  302  to guide a light emitted by the LEDs to become a surround light source that is different from a conventional indicating mode of LEDs. The image capture apparatus condition indicating  314  makes users know the operating condition of the image capture apparatus for helping the quality of shot picture.  
         [0027]     The self-timer light  304 , the focus aid light  306 , the pre-flash function  310 , the light guide rod  312 , and the image capture apparatus condition indicating  314  can be integrated into to achieve the aforementioned functions.  
         [0028]      FIG. 4  is a schematic diagram of an image capture apparatus according to the present invention. The camera  400  comprises a lens  402 , a optical viewfinder  404 , a flash module  406 , a remote control sensor  408 , an LED indicating apparatus  410 , and a shutter button  412 , and a light guide rod  414 . The users can employ the LED indicating apparatus  410  comprising LEDs and a light guide rod to aid in focusing or being as a self-timer indicating light. The LED can be any color as white, blue, red, green, etc.  
         [0029]     Referring to  FIG. 5 , it is a schematic diagram of one preferred embodiment of an indicating apparatus combined with a flash module according to the present invention. The indicating apparatus  500  comprises a lamp screen  506 , a lamp module, a light guide rod  508 , and an LED  510 . The lamp module comprises a lamp  504  and a curved reflecting mirror  502 . The lamp  504  is employed as a light source and the reflecting mirror  502  is employed to reflect a light, which is emitted by the lamp  504 . The lamp  504  can be a tube that is full of Xenon (Xe) and flashed by applying a current with high voltage. Alternatively, white LEDs may be as the light source of the flash in the present invention. The LED  510  and the light guide rod  508  are combined with each other to become an indicating apparatus.  
         [0030]     In addition, the LED  510  has an indicating function that indicates different operating conditions with different blinking frequencies before shooting. For example, rapidly blinking LED indicates that the shutter will work as starting self-timer; when the flash is processed with charging, the LED is constantly lighting, and when charged completely, the LED will turn to off. The LED can be white, blue, red, green, or the combination thereof. Moreover, the light guide rod  508  is round the flash module  500  to guide a light emitted by the LED to become a surround light source. The light guide rod  508  also protects the flash module from electro-static discharge (ESD) and an external force.  
         [0031]     The light guide rod  508  can be a high transmittance material, such as UL94V-0, transparent resin, glass, or the combination thereof. The transparent resin is acrylic resin, polycarbonate resin, or epoxy resin.  
         [0032]      FIG. 6  is a schematic diagram of another preferred embodiment of an indicating apparatus  600  comprising a plurality of LEDs  604  and a external protective transparent tube  602  according to the present invention. The indicating apparatus  600  can be combined with an electrical apparatus for updating indicating modes thereof as user&#39;s wish. The user can update the indicating modes with various indicating modes provided by the manufacturer through the signal input/output ports of the electrical apparatus. For example, the indicating modes may be a circle round mode with one or more lighting LED(s).  
         [0033]     The indicating apparatus  600  can provide a pre-flash function. The pre-flash function is employed to shrink subjects&#39; pupils for reducing red-eye reaction due to the flashing light is reflected by the pupils. Moreover, the present invention can reduce the usage times of the flash due to replacing the flash with the indicating apparatus in pre-flash function, so the life of the flash can extend. The indicating apparatus is also employed as a focus aid light by providing a proper light to aid the image capture apparatus in auto-focusing under an insufficient brightness environment.  
         [0034]     The LEDs  604  can be white LEDs, blue LEDs, red LEDs, green LEDs, or the combination thereof. The user can set different indicating modes corresponding to different operating conditions of an image capture apparatus. For example, the present invention can use the white LEDs to provide a proper illumination when using pre-flash function; the present invention can set different blinking frequencies according to operating conditions. For example, a set mode is a circle round mode with one lighting LED, the LED may be red or other color, or a set mode is to turn on/off LEDs in sequence, so the LEDs can display a lighting sequence with different color LEDs and each of the LEDs has different blinking frequency, even display an image.  
         [0035]     The present invention also provides a method for operating the indicating apparatus of the image capture apparatus.  FIG. 7  shows the operating flowchart  700  comprising the steps in following. Step  702  is starting. Step  704  is that a light detector detects if the illumination is sufficient and determines to use the flash according to shooting requirement. Step  706  is determining if the flash works. Step  710  is that the indicating apparatus indicates the operating condition of the image capture apparatus when the flash is determined to work. Step  712  is that the indicating apparatus provides pre-flash function. Step  714  is shooting, and Step  716  is ending. Due to an user may take a picture by different exposure time according to shooting conditions, the user can use or not use the flash with Step  706 . Step  708  is that the indicating apparatus indicates the operating condition of the image capture apparatus when the flash is determined not to work. Then, the user shoot and end the operating (Step  714  and  716 ).  
         [0036]     The present invention still also provides a method for operating the indicating apparatus.  FIG. 8  is the operating flowchart  800  comprising the steps in following. Step  802  is starting. Step  804  is if a user changes an indicating mode. Step  806  is changing the indicating mode and Step  808  is not changing the indicating mode. Changing the indicating mode has two changing methods. One of them is that the user updates with various indicating modes provided by the manufacturer through the signal input/output port of the electrical apparatus. The other is that the user resets the inbuilt indicating mode of the electrical apparatus. Step  810  is ending.  
         [0037]     As aforementioned, the advantages of the present invention are described. The present invention provides various indicating modes for users, and provides a pre-flash function to reduce the usage times of the flash for extending the life of the flash and reducing the power consumption. Therefore, the present invention also extends the sustaining time of battery for the image capture apparatus for solving the problem of battery sustaining time.  
         [0038]     Although specific embodiments have been illustrated and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made without departing from what is intended to be limited solely by the appended claims.