JP2001298648A - Video recording and reproducing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make a camera block of a video recording and reproducing device small-sized and light-weight. SOLUTION: A camera block and a disk drive using an optical disk are separated to individual structure blocks, and a video signal is compressed and encoded in the camera block and is transmitted so that a large code volume of digital codes may not occur. The camera block and the disk block are connected by a connection cable, and power to be consumed in a lens block is supplied from the optical disk block. Digital codes are made to pass in the connection cable as a signal in a serial form to simplify the connection cable.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a video recording / reproducing apparatus, particularly to a recording / reproducing technique using a video camera to which an optical disk is applied.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a prior art, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No.
There is an example as described in Japanese Patent No. 367. As shown in FIG. 1 of this conventional example, an image sensor, a microphone, an A / D converter for each of video and audio, a display device having a finder function, and information for compressing digitally encoded images and audio signals. In addition to a mobile communication function and an antenna equipped with a digital modulation function for spatial transmission, the output of the processing device is provided in one video shooting function unit, and the output is in the form of a digital code. It is known that a digital code is decoded by a processing device having a decoding function and stored in a storage means (hard disk device). The spatially transmitted signal is transmitted to a base station using a telephone line or the like, and can be transmitted to a personal computer or the like. However, in the method disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 10-25767, a video code is transmitted using wireless transmission, so that a "mobile communication function unit" and a large battery for driving the same are required. Will be needed. Although not described in this publication, generally, MPEG
When compression is performed, power consumption of 1 to 2 W or more is generated, and transmission power for wireless transmission is required.
Further, this conventional example does not disclose a means for mounting a small battery for a camera having large power consumption. Also, it is described that the image is transmitted to a fixed personal computer or the like via a telephone line or the like. However, such a service is technically difficult, and has a large data capacity and an enormous fee, so that it is not economically feasible. For this reason, it is difficult to apply the above conventional technology to a general video camera or the like.

[0003]

On the other hand, the above-mentioned known examples are known. On the other hand, in a video camera using an optical disk, if the lens unit and the optical disk drive unit are arranged in the same structural block, the structure will be reduced. However, there is a problem that the layout utilizing the thin optical disc becomes impossible, and the layout becomes very inconvenient as the shape of the video camera. In general, a small structure block for holding and photographing by hand is easier to use, but when an optical disk drive is integrated with a lens block, there is a problem that the volume of the entire video camera becomes too large. In addition, when an optical disk drive having a diameter of 12 cm, which is generally distributed, is integrated into a lens block, the size of the optical disk drive becomes extremely large as compared with a general video camera. Can not.

An object of the present invention is to provide a video recording / reproducing apparatus capable of reducing the size and weight of a camera block while maintaining high image quality and high sound quality.

[0005]

In order to solve the above problems, a video recording and reproducing apparatus according to the present invention comprises a camera block and an optical disk drive block (or recording block).
And were separated into separate structural blocks. In the case of division, a signal transmitted from the camera block to the optical disk drive is a digital code, and the video signal is compression-coded by the camera block so that a large amount of digital code is not generated. Also, when the camera block and the optical disk drive are separated into separate structural blocks, they are connected by a connection cable, and power consumed in the camera block is supplied from the optical disk drive block. Also, all digital codes passing through the connection cable are serial signals, so that the connection cable is simplified. Also, by separating the lens block and the optical disk drive into separate structural blocks, the structural layout of the optical disk drive block can be made very thin, so that a relatively large 12 cm optical disk can be easily adopted. Now you can.

The present invention will be described in more detail below. In a first aspect, a video recording / reproducing apparatus includes: a coding unit that codes a video signal obtained from an image sensor; a camera block having an operation unit; a recording unit; a signal from the coding unit and a signal from the operation unit; And a recording block having a processing unit for receiving and processing the digital signal. The digital video signal from the encoding unit and the operation signal from the operation unit are temporally multiplexed and transmitted to the recording block. Is configured. In the first invention, a battery is provided in the storage block, a cable is provided between the camera block and the recording block, and power from the battery is supplied to the camera block via the cable. You. Also, the camera block is provided with audio input means, the recording block is provided with a battery, the camera block and the recording block are connected by a cable, and a digital video signal, the operation signal and the audio input means are provided. And the digital audio signal is time-multiplexed, transmitted to the recording block through the cable, and supplied to the camera block from the battery provided in the recording block through the cable. You.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, a video recording / reproducing apparatus includes an image pickup device, an analog-to-digital converter for digitizing a video signal obtained from the image pickup device, and a signal for driving the image pickup device to capture a moving image or a still image. A first block provided with a processing unit, an encoding unit for encoding a digitally converted video signal, an operation key for instructing start and stop of shooting, and a finder unit for confirming a captured video;
A recording drive device having a recording medium, a second block provided with a receiving means for receiving the operation key and an output signal of the encoding means, wherein the output signal of the encoding means is converted into a digital code. Is converted into a serial digital code, and information from the operation key is temporally multiplexed with an output signal of the encoding means and transmitted to the second block.

In the second invention, a cable for electrically connecting the first block and the second block is provided, and an output signal of the encoding means is converted into a digital code, and then the signal is output from the cable. Is transmitted as a serial digital code, and information from the operation keys is transmitted after being temporally multiplexed with an output signal of the encoding means. A microphone, analog-to-digital conversion means for digitizing an audio signal from the microphone, and means for converting the audio signal into a serial digital code; Is temporally multiplexed with the video signal converted to a serial digital code output from the encoding means and transmitted. In this case, a power supply is provided in the second block, and a circuit built in the first block includes a power supply provided in the cable connected between the first block and the second block. Power is supplied from the power supply provided inside the second block by the line. Also, in this case, the cable connecting the first block and the second block is fitted by a connection terminal, and the connection terminal provided in the second block is provided in the second block. By switching the operation mode of the control microcomputer, the digital code read from the recording medium in the second block is output as a standardized serial code, and provided in the first block. A camera signal obtained from the image sensor in the first block can be output from the connection terminal, and a recording drive device and a personal computer provided outside the first or second block , An input / output terminal, a video tape recorder capable of recording a digital code, or a mobile phone.

In the second invention, a video signal output terminal is provided in the second block, and a MP signal is provided in the second block.
A video decoding circuit conforming to the EG standard is provided, a video signal recorded according to the MPEG standard is read from a recording medium, decoded, and displayed on a TV display having a video input terminal. Also, an audio signal output terminal for outputting an audio signal to the outside is provided in the second block, and an audio decoding circuit compliant with the audio CD standard is provided in the second block. A recording medium compliant with the audio CD standard is decoded, and the decoded audio signal is output from the audio signal output terminal. The optical disk applicable to the optical disk drive built in the second block has a diameter of 12 cm. Also, the decryption means is MP
Complies with EG standards. In addition, a power supply and wireless transmission means operated by the power supply are provided in the first block, and a wireless reception means is provided in the second block, and video signals from the first block to the second block are provided. It is configured to wirelessly transmit information from the operation keys.

[0010]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a video recording / reproducing apparatus according to the present invention. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a camera block of a video recording / reproducing apparatus according to the present invention.
FIG. 1 shows an internal circuit of a video camera recorder using an optical disk such as a DVD, and a photographer operates a camera block constituted by such a circuit while holding it in his hand. In the camera block (or camera unit) shown in FIG.
Is a CCD image sensor for converting light photographed from an optical lens into an electric signal, and 2 is a signal processing unit for converting a CCD image pickup device into a video signal, which are almost the same as a video camera using a tape. Is used. Reference numeral 4 denotes operation keys for recording and reproduction, and 10 denotes a finder which can capture a subject image and a reproduction image obtained from a lens. Generally, a liquid crystal panel such as an LCD has a size of 0.4 to 0.5 inches. When the image of the disc is reproduced, the contents can be easily confirmed. Reference numeral 11 denotes a video / audio encoding unit provided according to the present invention, which includes an MPEG2 type compression circuit. The other blocks will be described together with the operation of the camera block when shooting.

The subject image obtained from the optical lens is CC
The photoelectric conversion is performed by the D image sensor 1. This signal is set by the AGC circuit to change the signal level in the optical system to a predetermined signal level.
The digital signal is converted into a digital signal by A / D conversion 9 and then input to the camera signal processing unit 2. Since the signal obtained from the CCD image sensor 1 is a signal corresponding to the arrangement of the normal sensor, a general Y (luminance signal),
The signals are converted into U and V signals (color difference signals), and the image is enhanced and output. Further, the camera signal processing 2 generates a drive pulse necessary for the CCD image sensor 7 and a synchronizing signal necessary for video output, and supplies them to each unit. In this case, the camera control microcomputer provided in the camera control unit 3 optimizes the camera signal processing 2 based on the state of the optical system, the video information obtained from the CCD image sensor 1, and the operation information obtained from the operation keys 4. To control. At the same time, an analog output of an angular velocity sensor or the like using a gyro or the like is AD-converted and then taken into a camera control microcomputer of the camera control unit 3 to control a driving pulse of the CCD image sensor 1 so that the photographer can control the camera. When the hand shakes, the camera signal processing unit 2 controls the camera signal processing unit 2 to obtain a relatively stable image even when the camera shakes.

The digital video signal obtained from the camera signal processing unit 2 is sent to the video / audio coding unit 11 (MPEG2 codec) as, for example, 16-bit parallel data. The video / audio encoding unit 11 performs image processing RA
The video of the camera signal processing unit 28 is developed in the M
The moving image data is compressed to about 1/60 according to the EG2 format. The compressed video data is output to the system internal bus 14 in accordance with a command from the system control microcomputer 12. In this embodiment, the system control unit 12 is constituted by a CPU having no memory device, and has a firmware program.

On the other hand, the analog video signal obtained from the camera signal processing unit 2
Is supplied to the character generating unit 8 via the camera control unit 3, and the control information by the camera operation is superimposed on the video signal. This signal is sent to the finder control unit 9 and displayed on a finder display unit 10 composed of, for example, an LCD. As described above, the photographing information is collectively displayed on the finder display unit 10. The audio signal is collected by a microphone 5 built in the camera block,
A / D converter 6 converts analog to digital and converts it to a 16-bit accurate CD (compact disk).
The signal is sent to the video / audio encoding unit 11 as a linear PCM signal equivalent to a signal or the like, where audio encoding in the MPEG format is performed.

The video and audio signals encoded by the video and audio encoding unit 11 are output to a system internal bus 14 as a data stream signal in which video and audio are temporally mixed according to an instruction from the system control unit 12. Is done. This MPEG-compressed data stream is used to avoid a writing error due to vibration or shock applied to an optical disk (for example, a DVD disk), to detect a communication error when transmitting data to a disk block described later,
The data is sent to the transmission / reception interface unit 15 via the data buffer 13 used for correction.

In the case of the present embodiment, the output signal of the transmission / reception interface section 15 is converted into a serial data string conforming to the IEEE 1394 standard, sent to the transceiver section 16 which is an analog circuit, and then output to the input / output connector 18. . The input / output connector 18 is connected to a cable for transmitting data to a disk block described later. This cable not only transmits signals from the transmission / reception interface unit 15 and the transceiver 16 to the disk block, but also transmits a signal for checking the operating state of the disk block and a recording signal output from the disk block to be described later to the camera block. Used to enter.

The input / output connector 18 has a power supply 17.
Is connected. The power supply unit 17 is, for example, a DC-D
It is configured by a C converter and receives a 5 V voltage power supply specified by IEEE 1394 from a battery provided in a camera block described later,
Viewfinder 10 using CD image sensor 1 and liquid crystal
It is used to supply a power of plus 10 V or more or a minus power. According to the embodiment of the present invention, since only one battery is provided in a disk block described later, it is very effective to reduce the size and weight of a camera block in which portability is prioritized.

Next, the disk block will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing one embodiment of a disk block of the video recording / reproducing apparatus according to the present invention. 2 is used in combination with a camera block. In the figure, there are 20 operation keys,
For example, it is used for operations such as reproducing a disk on which a movie is recorded, and viewing a disk stored in advance by a camera using only disk blocks. Reference numeral 21 denotes a system control unit for taking the output of the operation key 20 into the system. The system control unit 21 is also used to store the clock and date of the system and to manage the state of the battery 26. The battery 26 is connected to the input / output connector 23 via a power supply 27 so that power can be supplied also to the camera block. The input / output connector 23 is connected to the input / output connector of the camera block by a cord. The power supply unit 27 is, for example, a DC-DC converter, and generates various power supply voltages required by the system.

Hereinafter, the operation of the disk block will be described. The recording signal (or video and audio signal) from the camera block input to the input / output connector 23 is transmitted to the IEEE
Import in E1394 format. This signal is IEEE1
In order to maintain compatibility in the physical layer 394, the data is sent to the transceiver unit 24, which is a high-frequency circuit, where it is converted into a general parallel data signal, and the transmission / reception interface unit 25 adjusts the internal timing of the system in accordance with the operation timing of the system Output to the bus 22. Next, the recording signal sent from the camera block is read out from the system internal bus 22 in accordance with a command from the system control unit 21, and the video signal and the audio signal are separated by the MPEG2 decoding unit 28. The video signal is transmitted to the MP using the image memory 31.
After being decoded according to the EG2 standard, the panel control unit 29
Is displayed on the display panel unit 30 through the monitor, so that the video being recorded can be monitored.

On the other hand, since the recording signal from the camera block output to the system internal bus 22 is parallel data, the disk signal processing unit 33 according to the recording format of the DVD-RAM optical disk used in this embodiment.
Is used to convert the data format. This disk signal processing unit 3
Reference numeral 3 includes a tracking servo circuit, a focus servo circuit, a spindle servo circuit, an error correction circuit for writing and reading data, and the like.

The data buffer 32 stores the RF data R / W
This buffer is for protecting data when the optical actuator constituted by the (read / write) section 34 or the optical disk 37 receives disturbance vibration. When the system is subjected to vibration, the data is protected by suspending the extraction of data from the system internal bus 22 to the disk signal processing unit 33 and retaining the data until the system is restored. In this embodiment, the protection can be performed for about 5 seconds.
Further, the disk signal processing unit 33 adds a correction code according to the DVD standard so as to cope with a data error at the time of reading and writing of a medium that is inevitably present in the optical disk HDD. Further, as described above, the disk signal processing section 33 is an integrated circuit of a servo circuit for tracking, focusing, and spindle of the DVD and an error correction circuit for writing and reading data. The output signal of the disc signal processing section 33 is sent to an RF data R / W section 34, which is a high-frequency circuit, where it is digitally modulated and recorded by an optical pickup 35 on an optical disc 37 such as a DVD system. The disk signal processing unit 33, the RF data R / W unit 34, the optical pickup 35, and the servo circuits around them are all controlled by the drive control microcomputer unit 36.

In this embodiment, the video / audio coding unit 11 of the camera block shown in FIG. 1 sends data to the disk block unit shown in FIG. 2 at a recording rate of about 6 Mbps.
For example, an optical disk of 12 cm size has a track pitch of 0.615 μm, a recording bit length of 0.28 μm,
In the case of the DVD-RAM version using a red laser of 0 nm, the single-sided capacity of 12 cm is 4.7 GB, and recording of about 100 minutes is possible, and it is possible to shoot for a sufficient time as a video camera.

Hereinafter, a case where a video signal is reproduced from an optical disk 37, for example, a DVD optical disk will be described.
Generally, optical discs are widely used as video and audio production contents because media themselves can be manufactured at very low cost. In this embodiment, the optical disc can be reproduced by adding a small number of circuits to the video camera circuit.

To perform reproduction, first, the optical pickup 3
5, the pit information in the optical disk 37 is read out from the optical disk 37 in a digitally modulated state, waveform equalization and servo signal detection are performed by the RF data R / W unit 34, and MPEG2 video is output by the disk signal processing unit 33. The stream is output to the system internal bus 22 as a stream. In this case, as in the case of recording, even if a read error occurs in the read data during reproduction due to an impact between the optical disk 37 and the optical pickup 35, the data buffer 32 does not.
Thus, the data is accumulated for several seconds, so that the video can be continuously reproduced without any problem. The video data and the audio data of the system internal bus 22 are controlled in data transfer on the bus by a command of the system control unit 21.
The video data is restored by an MPEG2 decoding unit 28 by a decompression operation and further converted into an NTSC signal, and then displayed as a reproduction signal on a display panel 30 through a display panel control unit 29. Similarly, a video signal of the NTSC system is output from the MPEG2 decoding unit 28. By taking this output from a video output terminal (not shown) provided in the disk block, an external TV is output.
Can also be displayed.

When the above circuit is applied to an apparatus for reproducing video contents called general DVD-Video,
An optical pickup 35 having a relatively large circuit scale and cost,
RF data R / W unit 34, disk signal processing unit 33MP
The EG2 decoding unit 28, the display panel control unit 29, the display panel unit 30, and the battery 26 can be realized by almost the same or by slightly modifying the integrated circuit. For this reason, the circuits added for mounting the camera block (camera unit) are the transmission / reception interface unit 25 and the transceiver unit 24, and a system that has little cost increase and is advantageous for the user can be realized.

In the above-described embodiment, the case of recording and reproducing a moving image according to the MPEG2 format has been described. However, the camera block can also shoot a still image according to the JPEG format. The MPEG format and the JPEG format have almost the same MPEG I picture encoding operation.
By only partially switching the operation of the circuit of the decoding unit 26, the JPE
A signal in the G format can be decoded. The still image output from the MPEG2 encoding unit 28 is recorded on the optical disk 37 as one file. It is also possible to record only audio data. Since audio data with a still image can be obtained by associating the still image with a file, video and audio can be effectively recorded with a very small amount of data.

In this embodiment, since a 12 cm optical disk can be used, a CD having a wavelength of 780 nm is used.
An optical pickup that generates laser light for DVD is added to the optical pickup for DVD, and the reproduction format processing of the disc signal processing unit 33 and the audio CD (C
By performing signal processing of “mpact disk”, decoding of linear PCM audio at a sampling rate of 44.1 Hz becomes possible, so that it is possible to provide a system that can easily enjoy audio CDs.

As described above, the camera block using the optical disk shown in FIG. 1 can obtain a moving image from the viewpoint of a photographer by operating in the same manner as a conventional analog video, A still image can be recorded by utilizing the characteristics of (1).

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the appearance of an embodiment of the video recording / reproducing apparatus according to the present invention. In the figure, 41 is an optical disk medium, 45 is a cover of the optical disk medium 41, and 46 is a battery for supplying power.
The current required by the camera block and the disk block of FIG. 2 can be secured. A display panel 43 is, for example, a liquid crystal panel having a diagonal line of about 7 inches. Optical disk media 41, optical disk media 41
A portable DVD optical disc player is constituted by a lid 45, a battery 46 for supplying power, and a display panel 43, and a read-only optical disc containing a movie or the like called DVD-Video standard is driven by a battery and can be placed anywhere. Playback is possible. In FIG. 2, this DVD optical disk player is called a disk block.

Further, in FIG. 3, reference numeral 38 denotes a camera block, and a cable 40 conforming to the IEEE 1394 standard is added to connect the camera block 38 and the disk block. This makes it possible to easily configure a video camera for recording video. As shown in FIG. 3, a side surface of the optical disk medium 41 has terminals for outputting NTSC video signals and analog audio signals, and a video cable 42 is used to connect an external TV 39 to a video such as a movie or a video camera. The captured image can be displayed in a large size.

By attaching the camera block 38 to a rotatable mechanism and fixing the camera block 38 to the disk block, the lens of the camera block 38 can be directed in the direction opposite to the display panel 43 as shown in FIG. The face of the user using the disc block can be photographed. When the connection cable 40 is in the way, for example, the handling is greatly improved by using a coil-shaped cable called a curl coil. As is apparent from FIG. 3, in this embodiment, the camera block 38 does not have a built-in recorder for recording recording data and signals, so that the camera block 38 itself can be made very small. Further, since the power is also supplied from the disk block, the weight of the camera block 38 can be extremely reduced. For this reason, the photographer can easily hold the camera block 38 with one hand, can easily frame the subject, and can also greatly reduce fatigue during photographing.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the camera block of the video recording / reproducing apparatus according to the present invention, and shows the camera block 38 of FIG. 3 in an enlarged manner. The circuit blocks incorporated therein are as shown in FIG. In the camera block 38, reference numeral 47 denotes a video camera lens for capturing an image, and has a maximum zoom magnification of about 8 to 12 times. Reference numeral 48 denotes a housing of the camera block.
The shape is deformed so that it can be easily grasped by human hands. 49 is a key for performing a zoom operation, 50 is an operation key for starting and pausing recording, and a key 50 is provided.
When the key is pressed, the key information is superimposed on the video information by the internal microcomputer, transmitted to the disk block, and the disk block is controlled. 51
Is a viewfinder realized by a liquid crystal or the like for determining an angle of view of a subject at the time of shooting and for immediately checking a recorded image.

FIG. 5 is a rear view of the camera block of FIG. 4 as viewed from the direction opposite to the lens. The same components as those in FIG. 4 are denoted by the same reference numerals. In the figure, reference numeral 53 denotes an operation key for adjusting a camera function required at the time of camera shooting;
Reference numeral 52 denotes a dial for selecting an image displayed on the finder 51 according to an operation menu. Reference numeral 53 denotes an operation key. The operation key 3 is used to perform a manual operation such as a focus operation and an iris operation. Reference numeral 401 denotes a terminal for inserting an IEEE1394 type connector for connecting the camera block 38, which is a feature of the present invention, to the disk block shown in FIG.

FIG. 6 is a front view showing details of the connector terminal shown in FIG. The length of the connector terminal 401 is 5.4 m.
m, width is 11mm and the terminal of small shape is IEEE13
94 standard. In the figure, 55, 5
8 is a signal terminal for sending a DATA signal as a differential pulse,
Reference numerals 54 and 59 denote strobe signal terminals for extracting the clock of the DATA signal, which are similarly transmitted and received differentially. 56 is a 5V power supply terminal, and 57 is a GND terminal. In particular, the terminals 56 and 57 are features that show the features of the present invention.
The power can be supplied from the power supply unit 27 to the camera block. The camera block incorporates the circuit block of FIG. 1 and consumes power of about 1 to 2 W, but the current from the terminals 56 and 57 is about 200 to 400 mA, and can be realized within the standard.

FIG. 7 is a top view of the connector terminal of FIG. In the drawing, reference numeral 60 denotes an insertion portion of a metal terminal, and the width is as small as about 11 mm as shown in FIG. 7
Reference numeral 01 denotes the cagle portion, which can have a thickness of about 3φ, and has six core wires as shown in FIG. 6, so that a soft structure can be obtained. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the cable from hindering the photographing operation when handling the camera block.

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing an outline of a communication protocol defined by IEEE1394. The whole is 1
This is packet communication repeated at 25 μS (8 kHz), and can use both isochronous transfer in which the network can operate synchronously and unsynchronous transfer in which the network operates asynchronously. In the figure, 61, 62,
Reference numeral 63 denotes an isochronous transfer packet.
1, a packet 62 and a packet 63 are communication packets received from separate branches (called nodes) of the network, respectively, and are transmitted prior to the packets 64 and 65, which are the asynchronous communication packets. The camera block of the present invention uses the communication packets of the preceding packet 61 and the packet 801. The isochronous communication is a communication that can secure a predetermined data transfer within a fixed time, and a video signal of about 6 Mbps per second encoded by the MPEG2 system output by the camera block of FIG.
A 56 kbps stereo audio signal can be reliably transmitted from the camera block to the disk block.

Even if a recording failure such as disturbance occurs in the disk block, the communication packet is stored for a certain period by the data in the data buffer 32 in FIG. Fall can be prevented from occurring. In particular, the communication packet 801 in FIG. 8 is a packet for transmitting information on the operation keys 52 and 53 (see FIG. 5) of the camera block. After transmitting the MPEG2 video / audio data signal packet 61, the operation key information is transmitted. For this reason, since the video and audio data and the operation key information can all be transmitted collectively within the cable 40 (see FIG. 3) of the IEEE 1394 standard, the disk block and the camera block can be physically connected very simply.

FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram showing details of the MPEG2 video / audio data signal packet. The MPEG2 video / audio data signal packet 61 is composed of video signal packets 66 and 67,
It is composed of a voice packet 68 and a control signal packet 69. The control signal packet 69 is a control signal packet for controlling the disk block from the camera block corresponding to 801 in FIG. In the example of FIG.
While packets are transmitted, audio and control signals are transmitted one packet at a time. A video signal of about 6 Mbps per second encoded by a normal MPEG2 system and a signal of about 256 kbps per second
From the ratio, the stereo audio signal of s is 20 times or more, and the amount of audio is very small for video.
Here, there are two types of protocols for transmitting MPEG2 video signals in the IEEE 1394 standard,
There are a system corresponding to multi-channel called (transport stream) and a system called PS (program stream) of only one channel. In this case, it is preferable to use PS because of simplification of a processing method in a circuit. is there.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing another embodiment of the disk block according to the present invention. In the figure, reference numeral 70 denotes a disk block containing a drive for an optical disk having the circuit shown in FIG. And 72 is a dug-out VTR
Alternatively, it is a DVD recorder having a communication terminal of the IEEE 1394 standard. A stationary VTR is a digital recording VTR called the DVHS standard for analog.
TR, which has an IEEE 1394 terminal. MPE
The above-mentioned TS method is generally used as the G2 communication protocol. However, by changing the firmware of the disk block 70, the disk block 70 can also support the TS and can communicate. Reference numeral 73 denotes a communication connection cable conforming to the IEEE 1394 standard, and connects the disk block 70 to a VTR or a DVD recorder 72. The reproduction signal of the disk block 70 can be digitally copied to a stationary VTR. Generally, digital duplication of disc contents such as movies is prohibited. However, in the case of the video of the disc block 70 in FIG. 10, since a camera block is connected and the content becomes a personally created content, There is no problem in dynamic duplication. Also, since the communication format between the disk block 70 and the camera block is IEEE1394 type, the transmission / reception interface unit 15, transceiver unit 16,
The input / output connector 18 and the input / output connector 2 of FIG.
3. Transceiver unit 24, transmission / reception interface unit 2
5 is to use parts that are widely available in general,
It can be realized at a low price.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing another embodiment of the camera block of FIG. 1, showing that the camera block can be used for general purposes. In the figure, 74 is a camera block, and 72 is a D-VHS VTR similar to that shown in FIG. 73 is the same IEEE 1394 as in FIG.
Communication cable. As shown in FIG. 11, by attaching an IEEE1394 type communication cable to the output of the camera block 74 of the present invention and connecting it to the VTR 72, it becomes possible to directly capture the camera signal into the finger VTR 72. The stationary VTR 72 may be replaced with a personal computer. If the personal computer is capable of taking in an input signal conforming to the IEEE 1394 standard, for example, the output of the camera block 74 can be stored in a built-in disk device of the personal computer. It can also be used for video calls and video conferences.

As described above, the disk block 70
(See FIG. 10)
Equipped with 4 standard connectors, both the disk block 70 and the camera block 74 can be widely used
It can be connected to a personal computer, and can be used not only as a simple video camera but also in combination with various devices. In addition, in the apparatus shown in FIG.
By providing two or more standard terminals, it is possible to input data to the optical disk block while simultaneously operating a plurality of camera blocks. In this case, the system control unit 21 of FIG. 2 takes in a plurality of camera images as serial signals while inputting timing to the transmission / reception interface 26 and inputs the signals to the system internal bus 22, and simultaneously converts a plurality of video streams into the MPEG2 Alternatively, the data may be encoded and stored in an external device, or a user operation may be fetched with the operation keys 20 and encoded while switching a plurality of camera images, and then stored on the optical disk 37. In the above-described embodiment, the description has been made on the assumption that the video and audio of the camera block and the control signal are transmitted to the disk block using the communication cable of the IEEE 1394 standard.
It is also possible to eliminate the cable and achieve wireless communication.

In the following, an embodiment for transmitting an image wirelessly will be described.
This will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 12 is a block diagram showing another embodiment of the camera block of the video recording / reproducing apparatus according to the present invention, and the portion related to the communication circuit of the camera block of FIG. 1 is configured to be compatible with wireless communication. The same blocks as those in FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted. In the figure, reference numeral 121 denotes a transmission / reception interface unit for generating a communication packet by adjusting the output of the system internal bus 14 to the digital modulation unit 123;
As a packet configuration different from that of FIG.
It is prepared for communication errors. The output data of the transmission / reception interface unit 121 is, for example, a general N
In the case of the RZ (Non Return Zero) system, the digital modulation unit 123 outputs the OFDM (0ffset).
Frequency Division Multi
Plex) is transmitted to the RF amplifier of the RF unit 122 and the transmitting / receiving antenna 125, and is transmitted as a communication radio wave to the antenna unit of the disk block. In this embodiment, since the camera block is wirelessly connected to the disk block, it is necessary to have a battery 124 for power supply and a power supply unit 17 for generating various voltages, for example, a DCDC converter inside the camera block. In this case, the external appearance of the camera block shown in FIG. 4 requires a built-in battery. It is necessary to do.

FIG. 13 is a block diagram showing another embodiment of the disk block of the video recording / reproducing apparatus according to the present invention, and shows a block diagram of a disk block corresponding to wireless camera blocks. Transmitting and receiving antenna 1
The transmission signal of the camera block received by the
1, a digital code is detected, and a digital demodulation section 132 demodulates a frequency spread signal represented by OFDM or the like. Digital demodulation unit 132
Since the output signal is a small packet unit suitable for wireless communication, the transmission / reception interface circuit unit 25 outputs the video / audio reception data to the system internal bus 22 according to an instruction from the system control unit 21. Instead of using a cable as described above, video and audio can be transmitted between the camera block and the disk block by wireless. As described above, when the camera signal can be wirelessly transmitted to the disk block, the camera block is physically free from the cagle or the disk body, and the degree of freedom and mobility in photographing are greatly improved.

As described above, according to the present invention, since the camera block of the video camera and the disk block serving as the recording unit can be connected by a serial communication cable using digital signals, the entire apparatus can be made very small. be able to. Normally, a video camera in which a camera and a VTR are integrated weighs about 500 to 800 grams, but since the photographer only has a camera signal processing unit, the weight can be reduced to less than half that. Further, since all communication formats are digital signals, there is no deterioration in image quality and sound quality due to transmission and reception, and the camera block can be downsized while maintaining high image quality and high sound quality. Further, since the disk block is separated from the camera block, a relatively large general-purpose optical disk having a size of 12 cm can be used. Therefore, it is possible to secure approximately three times the recording time as compared with a small optical disk having a size of 8 cm. it can.

Since the operation key information is also superimposed on the video and audio signals and sent from the camera block to the disk block, the disk block can be photographed even if it is placed in a good place without the photographer's awareness. For example, the disk block can be stored in a daypack type bag, and only the camera block can be held in hand to enable recording and reproduction. In addition, since the heavy battery for the power supply is built in the disk block, the camera block can be reduced in size and weight.

Since a communication protocol conforming to the IEEE 1394 standard is used, the camera block can be connected to a personal computer and used like a TV phone, or the disk block can be connected to a VTR and dubbed. It is also possible to do. Thus, one terminal in each of the small panels of the portable device can be widely used. In addition, since the video signal is encoded using the MPEG2 method, 6 Mbp / s
Since high-quality recording can be performed at a data rate as low as about s, recording can be performed for about 100 minutes on a 12 cm disk, and sufficient time can be provided as a video camera.

In the case of a camera-shaped optical disk video camera recorder without the present invention, a cylindrical lens outer shape and a disk-shaped 12 cm optical disk drive outer shape are combined, but this combination is difficult and the video camera itself is very difficult. In addition, it becomes non-functional and has poor practicality.

According to the present invention, it is possible to solve such a problem and to make the shape very convenient for the photographer. Also, since it is possible to reproduce an optical disc of 12 cm size, generally, audio CDs and D
It is also possible to watch an optical disk of the VD-Video standard.

[0048]

According to the present invention, the camera block of the video camera can be connected to the disk block serving as the recording section by a serial communication cable using digital signals, so that the camera block can be made small and lightweight. . Also, since all communication formats are digital signals, there is no deterioration in image quality or sound quality due to transmission / reception,
High sound quality can be maintained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing one embodiment of a camera block of a video recording / reproducing apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing one embodiment of a disk block of the video recording / reproducing apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an appearance of an embodiment of a video recording / reproducing apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of a camera block of the video recording / reproducing apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a rear view of the camera block of FIG. 4 viewed from a direction opposite to a lens.

FIG. 6 is a front view showing details of a connector terminal shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a top view of the connector terminal shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing an outline of a communication protocol defined by IEEE1394.

FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram showing details of an MPEG2 video / audio data signal packet.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing another embodiment of the disk block according to the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing another embodiment of the camera block of FIG. 1;

FIG. 12 is a block diagram showing another embodiment of the camera block of the video recording / reproducing apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a block diagram showing another embodiment of the disk block of the video recording / reproducing apparatus according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... CCD image sensor, 4 ... Masking key of camera block, 11 ... MPEG2 video / audio encoder, 15, 25
... Transceive interface unit, 17, 27 ... Power supply unit, 1
8, 23: input / output connector, 28: MPEG2 decoding unit, 30: display panel unit, 32: data buffer, 33
... disc signal processing unit, 35 ... optical pickup, 35 ... optical disc.

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page F-term (reference) DA07 DA13

Claims (13)

[Claims] An encoding unit for encoding a video signal obtained from an image sensor, a camera block having an operation unit, a recording unit, and a process for receiving and processing signals from the encoding unit and the operation unit. Video recording and reproducing, comprising: a recording block having a section; and a time-multiplexed digitalized video signal from the encoding means and an operation signal from the operation section, which are transmitted to the recording block. apparatus. 2. The video reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a battery is provided in the storage block, a cable is provided between the camera block and the recording block, and power from the battery is supplied to the storage block via the cable. A video recording / reproducing device for supplying to a camera block. 3. The video recording / reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said camera block is provided with audio input means, said recording block is provided with a battery, and said camera block and said recording block are connected by a cable. The video signal, the operation signal, and the digitized audio signal from the audio input means are temporally multiplexed, transmitted to the recording block through the cable, and transmitted from the battery provided in the recording block. A video recording / reproducing apparatus for supplying power to the camera block through a cable. 4. An image pickup device, analog-to-digital conversion means for digitizing a video signal obtained from the image pickup device, signal processing means for driving the image pickup device to take in a moving image or a still image, A first unit provided with an encoding unit for encoding, an operation key for instructing start and stop of photographing, and a finder unit for confirming a captured image;
And a second block provided with a recording drive device having a recording medium, a receiving unit for receiving the operation key and an output signal of the encoding unit, and the output signal of the encoding unit is a digital code. Is converted to a serial digital code,
A video recording / reproducing apparatus, wherein information from the operation key is temporally multiplexed with an output signal of the encoding means and transmitted to the second block. 5. A video recording / reproducing apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising a cable for electrically connecting said first block and said second block, wherein an output signal of said encoding means is converted into a digital code. A video recording apparatus, wherein the information is transmitted as a serial digital code through the cable, and information from the operation keys is temporally multiplexed with an output signal of the encoding means and transmitted. 6. A video signal recording / reproducing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said first block has a microphone, an analog-to-digital converter for digitizing an audio signal from said microphone, and a serialization of the audio signal. Means for converting the audio signal into a digital code of a serial form, and transmitting the audio signal by temporally multiplexing with the video signal converted to a digital code of a serial form outputted from the encoding means. Recording and playback device. 7. The video recording / reproducing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein a power source is provided in said second block, and a circuit built in said first block comprises a first block and a second block. A video signal recording / reproducing apparatus, wherein power is supplied from a power supply provided inside the second block via a power supply line provided in the cable connected between the two. 8. The video recording / reproducing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said cable connecting said first block and said second block is engaged by a connection terminal, and said connection provided on said second block. By switching the operation mode of the control microcomputer provided in the second block from the terminal, the digital code read from the recording medium in the second block is converted as a serial code in a standardized format. And a camera signal obtained from the image pickup device in the first block can be output from the connection terminal provided in the first block, and the first or the second
A video recording / reproducing device which can be output to any of a recording drive device, an input / output terminal of a personal computer, a video tape recorder capable of recording a digital code, and a mobile phone provided outside the block. 9. A video recording / reproducing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein a video signal output terminal is provided in said second block, and a video decoding circuit compliant with the MPEG standard is provided in said second block. A video recording / reproducing apparatus for reading a video signal recorded in conformity with a recording medium, decoding the video signal, and displaying the video on a TV display having a video input terminal. 10. The video recording / reproducing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein an audio signal output terminal for outputting an audio signal to the outside is provided in the second block, and an audio CD of the audio CD is provided in the second block. A video recording / reproducing apparatus, comprising: an audio decoding circuit compliant with the standard, decoding the recording medium compliant with the audio CD standard by the audio decoding circuit, and outputting the decoded audio signal through the audio signal output terminal. . 11. The video recording / reproducing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein an optical disc applicable to an optical disc drive built in said second block has a diameter of 12 cm. 12. A video recording / reproducing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said decoding means conforms to the MPEG standard. 13. The video recording / reproducing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein a power supply and a radio transmission means operated by the power supply are provided in the first block, and a radio reception means is provided in the second block. A video recording / reproducing apparatus for wirelessly transmitting video signals of first to second blocks and information from the operation keys.