Method and apparatus for preventing unauthorized recycling of single-use camera and permitting authorized reuse of the camera
AssigneeEastman Kodak Company
InventorDennis R. Zander
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
When an exposure counter in a single-use camera indicates that the maximum number of exposures on a roll of film in the camera have been exposed, a function of the camera such as an electronic flash capability is disabled to prevent unauthorized recycling of the camera. A reset code must be inputted to the camera to initialize the exposure counter and to enable the electronic flash capability, to permit authorized reuse of the camera with another roll of film.
Claims12
A method of preventing unauthorized recycling of a single-use camera but permitting authorized reuse of the camera, comprising the steps of first determining that a particular event in the camera has occurred, then disabling a function of the camera to prevent unauthorized reuse of the camera, and then inputting a predetermined unique reset code to the camera to re-enable the function that has been disabled to permit authorized reuse of the camera, is characterized in that:
- the reset code is inputted to the camera by positioning a separate code inputting device within sensing range of a built-in sensor device of the camera which otherwise serves a conventional sensing function for ordinary operation of the camera.
A method of preventing unauthorized recycling of a single-use camera but permitting authorized reuse of the camera, comprising the steps of first determining that completed use of the camera has occurred, then disabling an electronic flash unit of the camera to prevent unauthorized reuse of the camera, and then inputting a predetermined unique reset code to the camera to re-enable the electronic flash unit to permit authorized reuse of the camera, is characterized in that:
- the reset code is inputted to the camera by positioning a separate code inputting device within sensing range of a built-in ambient light sensor of the camera which otherwise serves a light sensing function for operation of the electronic flash unit.
A single-use camera comprising means for determining that completed use of the camera has occurred, means for disabling a function of the camera to prevent unauthorized reuse of the camera when completed use of the camera has occurred, and means for receiving a predetermined unique reset code from a separate code inputting device to re-enable the function that has been disabled to permit authorized reuse of the camera, is characterized in that:
- said means for receiving the reset code from the code inputting device includes an exterior sensor device which receives the reset code and otherwise serves a conventional sensing function for ordinary operation of the camera.
A single-use camera comprising means for determining that completed use of the camera has occurred, means for disabling a function of the camera to prevent unauthorized reuse of the camera when completed use of the camera has occurred, and means for receiving an optical reset code from a separate code inputting device to re-enable the function that has been disabled to permit authorized reuse of the camera, is characterized in that:
- said means for receiving the optical reset code from the code inputting device includes an optical sensor which receives the optical reset code from the code inputting device and otherwise serves a conventional optical sensing function for ordinary operation of the camera.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.