Exposure control of camera attached to printer electronic camera

Claim 2

Apparatus for capturing and printing images on photosensitive sheets, comprising: (a) a camera for electronically storing an image of a subject and having a display for displaying such stored image; (b) a printer including light tight storage means for receiving a stack of photosensitive sheets and camera receiving means which are adapted to receive a camera after it is inserted into the receiving means to interconnect said camera to said printer and open a light tight optical path between said photosensitive sheets and said electronic camera display; and (c) exposure means operatively associated with the camera being inserted into the printer for exposing along the light tight optical path a photographic surface of a sheet with an image from the camera display.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein: the exposure means for imaging the display image onto photosensitive sheets includes: (i) the printer having a printing opening; (ii) shutter means operated by the insertion of the camera into the camera receiving means to move said shuttering means between a first sheet covering position and a second sheet exposing position; and (ii) optical means for focusing a display area onto said photosensitive sheet after the shutter means is moved to its second position.

Claim 4

The apparatus of claim 2 further including display actuating means for providing electronic communication between the electronic camera and the printer to cause a desired image to be displayed on the display for exposing the display image onto the photosensitive sheet.

Claim 5

The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the display actuating means includes means for sensing a camera being inserted into the receiving means and for activating the display and for deactivating the display after a predetermined time period.

Claim 6

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the said camera includes means for sensing interconnection between said camera and said printer and further includes electronic sensing circuitry for communicating with the printer.

Claim 7

The apparatus of claim 1 further including means for preventing the printer unit from being detached from the camera when there is electronic communication between the display and a print head.

Claim 8

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein an optical means includes rod lens arrays.

Claim 9

The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said shutter means includes a shutter member comprising a flexible light-opaque sheet which, when the shutter member is moved to its second position, it is driven along a shutter path so that it no longer covers the photosensitive surface of the sheet.

Claim 10

Apparatus for capturing and printing images on photosensitive sheets, comprising: (a) a camera for electronically storing an image of a subject and having a display for displaying such stored image; (b) a printer including light tight storage means for receiving a stack of photosensitive sheets and camera receiving means which are adapted to receive a camera after it is inserted into the receiving means to interconnect said camera to said printer and provides a light tight optical path between said photosensitive sheets and said electronic camera display; and (c) exposure means operatively associated with the camera being inserted into the printer for exposing a photographic surface of a sheet with an image from the camera display and including display actuating means for sensing a camera being inserted into the receiving means and for activating the display and for deactivating the display after a predetermined time period.

Claim 11

Apparatus for capturing and printing images on photosensitive sheets, comprising: (a) a camera for electronically storing an image of a subject and having a display for displaying such stored image; (b) a printer including light tight storage means for receiving a stack of photosensitive sheets and camera receiving means which are adapted to receive a camera after it is inserted into the receiving means to interconnect said camera to said printer and provides a light tight optical path between said photosensitive sheets and said electronic camera display; and (c) exposure means operatively associated with the camera being inserted into the printer for exposing a photographic surface of a sheet with an image from the camera display and including display actuating means for sensing a camera being inserted into the receiving means and for activating the display and for deactivating the display after a predetermined time period.