Patent · US Expired

Electronic imaging apparatus with interchangeable pickup units

US5040068A · kind A · utility

110Cited by
17References
25Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateDec 28, 1989
Grant dateAug 13, 1991
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 28, 2009

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04N23/843
  • WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

Electronic Imaging Apparatus is partitioned into separable modular units including an image pickup unit (4a) attachable to an image recording unit (2). The pickup unit (4a) is selected from a plurality of pickup units (4a, 4b), each producing image signals from an image sensor (6, 70, 71) uniquely devoted to the acquisition of a particular type of image (e.g., high resolution vs. low resolution, color vs. monochrome, NTSC motion vs. motion). By providing an identifying signal in connection with the pickup unit, the characteristics of the sensor (6) are specified to the recording unit. More specifically, the recording unit includes a buffer (36) for storing the image signals, a processor (40) for controlling the operation of the recording unit, including the buffer, and interface circuitry (10, 32) for responding to the identifying signal and enabling operation of the processor (40) according to the characteristics of the attached image pickup unit (4a).

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.