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  Digital camera and system thereofThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060017840. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a digital camera and a system thereof, and more particularly to a digital camera and a system thereof that can be used in connection to a mobile electronic device such as a mobile phone or a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA). [0003] 2. Description of the Related Art [0004] Systems have been proposed which allow a mobile phone and a digital camera to be used in connection to each other (Japanese Utility Model Registration No. 3074054, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2000-197161). In these systems, a battery is mounted to each of the mobile phone and the digital camera, and power is separately supplied. A digital camera of a plug connection type disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Registration No. 3074054 has no battery, and power for the camera is supplied from a mobile phone. [0005] However, in the conventional systems, if the battery of either the mobile phone or the digital camera is drained and cannot supply necessary power, the device naturally cannot be used. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0006] The present invention is achieved in view of the above, and has an object to provide a digital camera and a system of the same that can be used in connection to a mobile phone or other mobile electronic devices, wherein even if a battery of either the mobile phone or the digital camera is drained, a power supply is shared to allow use of both devices. [0007] In order to attain the above described object, the present invention is directed to a digital camera connectable to a mobile electronic device capable of being driven by a battery, the digital camera comprising: a first battery which provides a supply source of power necessary to operate the digital camera; a connecting unit which electrically connects to the mobile electronic device; a power input terminal which receives power supplied from a second battery mounted in the mobile electronic device connected via the connecting unit; and a power supply selection device which selectively switches a power supply such that power is supplied from one of the first battery and the second battery. [0008] According to the present invention, the digital camera is connectable to the mobile electronic device via the connecting unit. When the first battery mounted in the digital camera is drained and cannot drive the camera, a power supply source is switched by a power supply selection device, and power is supplied from the second battery of the mobile electronic device to the digital camera. This allows the digital camera to operate. The power supply selection device may be a selection device which can be manually operated, or may be a selection device which is automatically switched by a control signal. [0009] Preferably, the digital camera further comprises a power output terminal capable of supplying power from the second battery to the mobile electronic device connected via the connecting unit. Thus, the digital camera and the mobile electronic device can share their batteries with each other, so that the digital camera and the mobile electronic device can be generally operated by their respective batteries independently, but when one of the batteries is drained, power is supplied from the other battery to allow operation. [0010] The present invention is also directed to a digital camera connectable to a mobile electronic device capable of being driven by a battery, the digital camera comprising: a battery which provides a supply source of power necessary to operate the digital camera; a connecting unit which electrically connects to the mobile electronic device; and a power output terminal capable of supplying power from the battery mounted in the digital camera to the mobile electronic device connected via the connecting unit. [0011] According to the present invention, the digital camera is connectable to the mobile electronic device via the connecting unit. When the battery mounted in the mobile electronic device is drained to prevent the mobile electronic device from being used, the digital camera is connected to the mobile electronic device, thus allowing power to be supplied from the battery of the digital camera to the mobile electronic device. This allows the mobile electronic device to operate. [0012] Preferably, the connecting unit is also used as a remote control connecting unit to which a remote control device is connected. [0013] Preferably, the digital camera further comprises: a detecting device which detects the power supply selected by the power supply selection device; and a control device which operates to reduce power consumption of the digital camera when the detecting device detects a state where the power is supplied from the second battery to the digital camera. [0014] Preferably, as the operation to reduce the power consumption of the digital camera, the control device performs at least one of operations comprising supplying power to an image display device, stopping supplying power to a flash circuit, and reducing a clock operation frequency. [0015] Preferably, the control device supplies power to an image pickup circuit system only when the detecting device detects the state where the power is supplied from the second battery to the digital camera and the digital camera is set to an image-capturing mode. [0016] The image pickup circuit system includes an image pickup device which converts an optical image to an electric signal, and an analog signal processing circuit which performs sampling, color separation, and gain control, of an image signal output from the image pickup device. [0017] Preferably, the digital camera further comprises a communication device which sends power supply switching information to the mobile electronic device when the detecting device detects the state where the power is supplied from the second battery to the digital camera. [0018] Preferably, the digital camera further comprises: a battery remaining amount determining device which determines remaining amount of the first battery; and a power supply switching control device which automatically controls switching the first power supply selection device such that power is supplied from the second battery when the battery remaining amount determining device determines that the remaining amount of the first battery is below a predetermined reference value. [0019] The present invention is also directed to a digital camera system capable of transferring image data by connecting a mobile electronic device capable of being driven by a battery and a digital camera, wherein: the digital camera comprises: a first battery which provides a supply source of power necessary to operate the digital camera; a first connecting unit which electrically connects to the mobile electronic device; a first power input terminal which receives power supplied from a second battery mounted in the mobile electronic device connected via the first connecting unit; a first power supply selection device which selectively switches a power supply such that power is supplied from one of the first battery and the second battery; and a first power output terminal capable of supplying power from the first battery to the mobile electronic device connected via the first connecting unit; the mobile electronic device comprises: a second battery which provides a supply source of power necessary to operate the mobile device; a second connecting unit which electrically connects to the digital camera; a second power input terminal which receives power supplied from the first battery mounted in the digital camera connected via the second connecting unit; a second power supply selection device which selectively switches a power supply such that power is supplied from one of the first battery and the second battery; and a second power output terminal capable of supplying power from the second battery to the digital camera connected via the second connecting unit; and the first connecting unit and the second connecting unit are used so that the first power input terminal and the second power output terminal are connected and the first power output terminal and the second power input terminal are connected to allow power to be supplied between the digital camera and the mobile electronic device. [0020] According to the present invention, in the system where the mobile electronic device and the digital camera are connectable, both power supplies can be shared, so that if one of the batteries is drained, power is supplied from the other battery to allow operation. [0021] Preferably, a circuit is configured such that the first battery and the second battery are not electrically connected to each other in any setting states of the first power supply selection device and the second power supply selection device. [0022] Preferably, the digital camera further comprises: a detecting device which detects the power supply selected by the first power supply selection device; a first control device which operates to reduce power consumption of the digital camera when the detecting device detects a state where the power is supplied from the second battery to the digital camera; and a communication device which sends power supply switching information to the mobile electronic device when the detecting device detects the state where the power is supplied from the second battery to the digital camera; and the mobile electronic device further comprises: a second control device which operates to reduce power consumption of the mobile electronic device based on the power supply switching information sent from the digital camera. Continue reading... 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