Did You Know...
...that the inventor of the electric motor was a blacksmith named Thomas Davenport? Described as "a brilliantly unsuccessful inventor", Davenport invented the first rotary electric motor. In 1836 he headed out -- on foot -- from his Vermont home to file a patent application at the Patent Office in Washington, D.C. By the time he got there, he had squandered away his money and couldn't afford the $30 filing fee so he turned around and went home. When he later mailed in his application with money he'd raised, the Patent office was destroyed in a fire. He did finally get credit for his invention on Feb. 5, 1837.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7660521 | Image pickup terminal An image pickup terminal includes an image pickup section, a data storage section which stores shutter sound setup data that sets a shutter sound generating when the image pickup section performs an imaging, a shutter sound generating section which generates a shutt... | 02/09/2010 |
| 7580626 | Image pickup terminal An image pickup terminal includes an image pickup section, a data storage section which stores shutter sound setup data that sets a shutter sound generating when the image pickup section performs an imaging, a shutter sound generating section which generates a shutt... | 08/25/2009 |
| 7499643 | Authenticating photo-shutter sound in mobile station An apparatus adapted to authenticate a photo-shutter sound in a mobile station comprises a controller adapted to compare a sound level of the photo-shutter sound against a reference level, and a photo-shutter sound determination unit operatively coupled to the contr... | 03/03/2009 |
| 7110666 | Electronic device, photographing control method, photographing control program, and processor An electronic device with a camera function, an electronic device, a photographing control method, a photographing control program, and a processor is provided with a preventive function to block inappropriate photographing such as spy shots. A photographing reporti... | 09/19/2006 |
| 6684130 | Robot apparatus and its control method A robot apparatus is provided with a photographing device for photographing subjects and a notifying device for making an advance notice of photographing with the photographing device. In addition, in a control method for the robot apparatus, an advance n... | 01/27/2004 |
| 6291128 | Photographic film assemblages of the self-developing type having removable portions The present disclosure relates to several embodiments in which different self-developing film formats are constructed in order to permit easy operator separation of the pod and trap from adjacent integral film units.... | 09/18/2001 |
| 6137961 | Camera or apparatus adapted to use film cartridge or device applicable to such camera or apparatus A camera or an apparatus adapted to use a film cartridge, or a unit applicable to the camera or the apparatus, includes a first member arranged to move the film cartridge at least for one of loading and unloading the film cartridge on or from the camera o... | 10/24/2000 |
| 6081670 | Depth-of-field indicator for a camera An apparatus for controlling a camera to achieve sharp, clear pictures includes a sensor for determining the distance of the camera from a subject and a controller for calculating the camera's depth-of-field, determining whether the subject is within the ... | 06/27/2000 |
| 5835801 | Simultaneous metering modes in cameras using audio output A camera equipped with a data processing device with memory to execute stored data and program instructions for a plurality of metering modes, which analyze light data input from a light metering device. The output of the data processing device is connect... | 11/10/1998 |
| 5822621 | Camera with smile sound The invention relates to a camera comprising means to emit a smile sound.... | 10/13/1998 |
| 5737491 | Electronic imaging system capable of image capture, local wireless transmission and voice recognition A system for digital image capture and transmission, includes a digital camera that has an electronic image sensor for sensing an image and producing a digital image; a memory for storing digital images produced by the image sensor in digital image files,... | 04/07/1998 |
| 5623709 | Tripod with detector for inclination of pan head A tripod device for holding a camera in a predetermined position has an angle detector for detecting an inclination of a pan head disposed on the tripod device, an angle setting unit for setting a working angle of the pan head, a control unit for outputti... | 04/22/1997 |
| 5580011 | Film spool with built-in audible indicator for verifying film loading in a camera A film spool has a film-unwound verifier that produces an audible indication that a particular length of a filmstrip has been unwound from the spool.... | 12/03/1996 |
| 5579078 | Camera with visual axis detection equipment A camera with an optical system and having a visual axis detection device includes observing structure for observing an object, and circuitry for detecting a visual axis of an observer looking into the observing structure. Circuitry is provided for detect... | 11/26/1996 |
| 5541697 | Camera with orientation indicator A camera includes a viewfinder for composing a scene to be recorded and means for determining the camera's orientation relative to at least one axis. The camera further includes visual or audio means, cooperating with the determining means, for indicating... | 07/30/1996 |
| 5528332 | Camera having in-focus state indicating device Apparatus for use with a focus detecting device arranged to repeatedly detect a state of focus, or for use with a camera having such a focus detecting device includes a processor for determining whether the state of focus detected by the focus detecting d... | 06/18/1996 |
| 5317361 | Control device for preventing red-eye effect on camera A camera capable of operating in a red-eye prevention mode. The camera has an electronic flash device which is activated by a drive circuit in synchronization with the exposure. The electronic flash device also serve as a pre-light-emission device capable... | 05/31/1994 |
| 5172156 | Camera with minimum subject-distance alarm display device A camera with a too-close-subject-distance alarm display device, further comprising a flash device for flashing the light to a subject to be photographed; a selection device for selecting at least the flash exposure mode in which the flash device is permi... | 12/15/1992 |
| 5034761 | Photographic exposure control apparatus having remote filter holder mechanism A photographic exposure control apparatus includes a directable light source, and an auxiliary shutter which is located between a camera lens and a subject. The auxiliary shutter includes a housing structure which has a window therein. The window is selec... | 07/23/1991 |
| 4973999 | Film handling arrangements for sheet film view cameras and the like A film handling arrangement is disclosed for sheet film view cameras which includes an audible level alarm system. A combination camera back is disclosed which includes devices for motor-driven loading and unloading of disposable package envelopes with sh... | 11/27/1990 |
| 4972223 | Camera with automatic exposure function which is operatable in a normal photography mode and a slow photography mode A camera having an ordinary automatic exposure function which automatically decides a proper shutter speed and f-stop based on the results of photometry is additionally provided with a slow-photography mode. When the camera is set to the slow-photography ... | 11/20/1990 |
| 4891660 | Automatic photographic system and frame dispenser An automatic photographic system including a housing, a camera having self developing film mounted within the housing, and electrical circuits within the housing providing visual and/or audible customer use instructions, and wherein the housing is adapted... | 01/02/1990 |
| 4786987 | Electronic camera with autofocus warning device A camera wherein a subject to be taken is pure-electronically still-photographed and recorded, and an image is reproduced by a television system and a printer. Resolution of the camera of this type is lower than that of the ordinary cameras. Accordingly, ... | 11/22/1988 |
| 4786929 | Single lens reflex camera A single lens reflex camera having a reflex mirror and a light-blocking plate mounted therein for pivotal movement as a unit between a viewing and a photographing position. A driving mechanism is provided, having an electric motor for causing the pivotal ... | 11/22/1988 |
| 4777504 | Camera with an automatic focusing device A camera provided with an automatic focusing device which automatically detects the focus condition of an objective lens and driving the objective lens towards an in-focus position in response to the manual operation to a shutter release button. The opera... | 10/11/1988 |
| 4641937 | Self-timer device for a camera A self-timer device which announces its operation with sounds, and in which the sound volume or loudness changes in accordance with environmental sound or exterior noise around the camera so as to always tell the operator with a proper sound that the self... | 02/10/1987 |
| 4597659 | In-focus state display device for camera The disclosed camera includes a view finder whose visual field displays a mark indicative of a focused condition. A display which extinguishes the mark either immediately after the detection of the in-focus condition or a predetermined time after the dete... | 07/01/1986 |
| 4573785 | Display device for focus detecting camera In the disclosed focus detecting camera, a display is arranged to indicate the drive direction of the camera's photo-taking lens. The camera's focus detecting circuit can detect the in-focus, near-focus, and far-focus positions of the taking lens except w... | 03/04/1986 |
| 4538894 | Warning device for cameras A warning device to be incorporated for giving a warning or attention-getting statement in synthesized human speech to call the attention of a photographer to the need to correct the condition of the camera. The warning device includes a power supply whic... | 09/03/1985 |
| 4516846 | Recording error-prevention system A recording error-prevention system in which an abnormal position of a camera set in a continuous-recording mode of operation, relative to the horizontal position, is detected by a position-sensing device and an alarm is given by an alarm device on the co... | 05/14/1985 |
| 4512646 | Acoustic indicating device for cameras A camera acoustic indicating device for indicating, by sound, attainment of an in-focus condition of a camera objective lens and warning possibility of a blur occuring exposure time due to low brightness of an object to be photographed. The sound for the ... | 04/23/1985 |
| 4502771 | Camera with a voice transmitting device A camera with a voice transmitting device able to detect necessary informations for judging various states of the camera at the time of photography and to make a weighing of the informations according to degrees of importance of thus detected informations... | 03/05/1985 |
| 4494852 | Photoflash detector A self-contained photodetector for detecting the light flash from a photoflash unit which is supposed to flash when the shutter of a camera opens. The detector has a light-activated SCR for turning on an IC chip timer, which produces an output signal that... | 01/22/1985 |
| 4472045 | System for audibly indicating necessary information for the photographic operation of a camera An indication system of a camera for audibly and distinguishably indicating at least two different kinds of information of the operating state of a self-timer, a warning against the photographing operation for insufficient brightness of the object or low ... | 09/18/1984 |
| 4462669 | Self-timer device for camera A camera self-timer device of the type indicating the operating state thereof by a sound producing in different degrees of loudness or volume according to the distance between the camera and the object to be photographed varies to always inform the camera... | 07/31/1984 |
| 4459008 | Camera having a sound-making element In the disclosed camera a sound-making element is provided to produce warning signals or confirming signals for operation of a self-timer. A binary counter which digitally controls the camera controls the sound-making element. Warning signals and confirmi... | 07/10/1984 |
| 4443090 | Electromagnetic transmitting apparatus for a camera An electromagnetic transmitting apparatus for a camera includes a first device at the main body of the camera to convert electric energy within the camera main body to magnetic energy, and a second device to receive the magnetic energy and convert it into... | 04/17/1984 |
| 4443087 | Focus state indicator A focus state indicator for a camera is provided such that the photographer may know a focus state in accordance with electrical signals respectively corresponding to the lens position in the previous focusing operation and a distance between a camera and... | 04/17/1984 |
| 4437752 | Safety device for camera and accessory The disclosed safety device electrically senses the conductivity between the electrical contacts of a camera and an accessory attached thereto, and, upon detection of a failure in conductivity, produces a warning signal for the user.... | 03/20/1984 |
| 4389109 | Camera with a voice command responsive system A camera with a voice command system includes a switch which selectively brings the voice command system to one of learning and working modes. During the learning mode, various command voices spoken into a microphone and each registered in the camera at a... | 06/21/1983 |
