Dual purpose viewfinder
OwnerWilfried Bittnerinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A dual-purpose camera viewfinder is provided. The viewfinder is operable in a framing mode and in a review mode. In the framing mode, the camera provides a direct line-of-sight through the viewfinder for live viewing. In the review mode, an angled flipping mirror is raised into the viewfinder line-of-sight and permits the user to view stored images reflected from an internal display through the viewfinder ocular lens. A loupe lens magnifies the image from the display and directs the image to the angled flipping mirror. Additionally, entering the review mode closes an electrical circuit that signals the processor to selectively power the display and to control the display of the stored images.
Claims21
A viewfinder assembly, comprising:
- a first ocular lens;
- a second objective lens disposed in optical alignment with said first ocular lens and on the same plane as said first ocular lens, a viewfinder line-of-sight path being defined through said first ocular lens and said second objective lens;
- a mirror disposed between said first ocular lens and said second objective lens, said mirror operable between a first folded position wherein said mirror is outside the viewfinder line-of-sight path and a second raised position wherein said mirror is raised between said first ocular lens and said second objective lens into the viewfinder line-of-sight path;
- a switch operable to move said mirror between said first folded position and said second raised position;
- a display for displaying images, said display disposed outside the viewfinder line-of-sight path;
- and
- wherein images displayed on said display are reflected by said mirror to said first ocular lens when said mirror is in said second raised position.
A viewfinder assembly, comprising:
- a first ocular lens;
- a second lens disposed in optical alignment with said ocular lens;
- a display for displaying stored images thereon;
- a mirror disposed between said first ocular lens and said second lens, and between said first ocular lens and said display, said mirror being operable between a first stored position and a second review position, wherein a captured image path is defined between said first ocular lens and said display when said mirror is in said second review position and wherein a live image path is defined between said first ocular lens and said second lens when said mirror is in said stored position;
- a third lens disposed in said captured image path between said display and said mirror, said third lens moveable between a first stored position and a second review position;
- and
- a switch operable to move said mirror and said third lens between said first stored positions and said second review positions.
A digital camera, comprising:
- a viewfinder, including,
- a first ocular lens;
- a second objective lens in optical alignment with said first ocular lens and on the same plane as said first ocular lens, said first ocular lens and said second objective lens defining a viewfinder optical path;
- and
- a mirror disposed between said first ocular lens and said second objective lens, said mirror operable between a first folded position wherein said mirror is outside said viewfinder optical path and a second raised position wherein said mirror is disposed within said viewfinder optical path;
- a switch operable to move said mirror between said first folded position and said second raised position;
- an image sensor for capturing an image;
- a display for displaying images captured by said image sensor, said display disposed outside said viewfinder optical path, wherein images displayed on said display are reflected by said mirror to said first ocular lens when said mirror is in said second raised position;
- and
- control means for selectively causing said image sensor to capture an image and said display to display images captured by said image sensor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.