JP2001309304A - Digital camera - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make it possible to select one frame constituting a moving image with respect to a photographed moving picture as a print image and to enable a printer to automatically print the selected image. SOLUTION: This camera is provided with an attachable and detachable flash memory card 122, a photographing means 119 for performing intra-frame encoding or inter-frame encoding of the photographed moving image and storing the photographed moving image in the card 122, a reproduction displaying means 120 for reproducing and displaying the moving image from the card 122, an image selecting means 121 for selecting one optional frame image subjected to intra-frame encoding to be printed in the moving image, a printing management information storing means 117 for storing information (moving picture printing management information file 118) about the selected print image in the same card 122 in which the moving image (moving picture file 107) is stored.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a digital camera for recording a moving image on a disk or a semiconductor memory.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional digital camera is disclosed in
What is described in No. 88808 is known.

FIG. 14 is a block diagram of a conventional digital camera disclosed in the publication. In FIG. 14, 14
01 is an objective lens, 1402 is a CCD (Charge Coupled Device), 1403 is an A / D converter, 1404 is image compression means, and 1405 is a file format that can uniquely specify an image compressed to a memory card by a file name. The switch S1 is a shutter, which constitutes a photographing unit 1420.

[0004] 1409 is a reading means for reading a video file by designating a file name, 1410 is a video expansion means, 1411 is a D / A converter, S2 is a reproduction switch, 1
412, a liquid crystal monitor (hereinafter, simply referred to as liquid crystal);
3 is a display feed key, 1414 is a display rotation key, 1415
Is an image information acquisition means for acquiring information about an image being displayed on the liquid crystal 1412, 1417 is an orderer designation key, 141
Reference numeral 8 denotes a print designation key, which is used by the image selection means 1
421 is constituted.

[0005] Reference numeral 1422 denotes print management information storage means.
Generate print management information and create a print management information file on the memory card.

Reference numeral 1423 denotes a flash memory card, which is a non-volatile memory that can be removed from the digital camera. This flash memory card 1423 constitutes removable nonvolatile storage means. A video file 1407 is stored in the flash memory card 1423.
And a print management information file 1408 are stored in a DOS format.

Hereinafter, the operation of the conventional digital camera will be described. Now, it is assumed that the shutter button S1 is pressed. Then, the video signal captured from the CCD 1402 is A /
The data is written to the flash memory card 1423 as a file that can be uniquely specified in the memory card 1423 by the D converter 1403, the video compression unit 1404, and the video writing unit 1405. Now, it is assumed that the still image files stored in the flash memory card 1423 by shooting are images shot by users M and N, respectively.

By turning on the reproduction switch S 2, the user can view the photographed image on the liquid crystal 1412. That is, the image reading unit 1409 reads one file, and the image is displayed on the liquid crystal 1412 via the image expanding unit 1410 and the D / A converter 1411. When the user presses the display forward key 1413, the video reading unit 1409 reads a file different from the currently displayed video and starts display.

To register an image to be printed by the user M, first, the image to be printed is displayed using the display feed key 1413 and the orderer designation key 1417 is pressed. Then, the video information acquisition unit 1415 sets the video reading unit 14
09 to obtain the file name of the video being displayed. The print management information storage unit 1422 adds a character string “ORDER” to the front of the file name and prints the print management information file “PRIN”.
As the first line of T ", the flash memory card 1423
To memorize.

Next, Mr. M uses the display feed key 1413 to display an image to be printed next. At this time, when the print key 1418 is pressed, the video information acquisition unit 1415 acquires the video file name being displayed from the video reading unit 1409. Next, the print management information storage unit 1422 stores the acquired file name in the flash memory card 1423 as the second line of the print management information file “PRINT”.
Thereafter, the file name of the video to be printed is registered by the same operation.

Next, in the same manner, a print management information file is created by Mr. N selecting an image to be printed and registering a file name.

A user inserts a flash memory card into a printing device (not shown) to print a selected image. Then, the print management information acquisition unit of the printing apparatus searches for the file “PRINT” and automatically prints the registered still image to be printed according to the contents of the file.

That is, in the conventional digital camera, a means for reproducing a still image from a removable nonvolatile storage medium, a means for selecting an image to be printed from the reproduced still images, and a means for selecting a print image It is configured to record information about a still image on a removable nonvolatile storage medium, and a removable nonvolatile storage medium on which information about a print image is recorded by the digital camera,
By mounting it on a printing device, only the selected still image can be printed.

[0014] The present invention can be similarly performed in a display system or a communication system instead of printing, and a still image can be displayed and transmitted automatically without taking a digital camera.

[0015]

In a conventional digital camera, it is possible to select a print image from still images, but a means for selecting and printing one frame image forming a moving image as a print image is provided. There was a problem of not having it.

In the conventional digital camera, a display image can be selected from still images, but one frame image constituting a moving image is selected as a display image.
There was a problem that there was no means for displaying.

In the conventional digital camera, a communication image can be selected from still images, but one frame image constituting a moving image is selected as a communication image.
There was a problem that there was no means for communication.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to select one frame image constituting a moving image as a print image from a photographed moving image, and to automatically print the selected image by a printing apparatus. And

Also, the present invention provides a method for capturing a moving image,
It is an object of the present invention to be able to select one frame image constituting a moving image as a display image, and to enable the display device to automatically display the selected image.

Further, the present invention provides a method for capturing a moving image,
An object of the present invention is to enable one frame image constituting a moving image to be selected as a communication image, and to enable the communication of the selected image automatically by a communication device.

[0021]

According to the present invention, there is provided a digital camera, comprising: a detachable nonvolatile storage means; and a photographing means for encoding a moving image photographed in the nonvolatile storage means within a frame or between frames, and storing it. A reproduction display unit that reproduces and displays a moving image from the non-volatile storage unit; an image selection unit that selects any one of intra-frame encoded frames from the moving image as a print image, a display image, or a transmission image; Management information storage means for storing information about the selected image in the same nonvolatile storage means as the moving image.

According to this digital camera, one frame of a still image can be selected from a moving image as a print image, a display image, or a transmission image, and information (management information) related to the selected image is defined as a moving image. They can be recorded in the same removable nonvolatile storage means. By attaching the detachable nonvolatile storage means to a printing device, a display device, or a transmission device, it is possible to print, display, or transmit one frame image of a selected moving image.

In the digital camera according to the present invention, in the above invention, the image selecting means is configured to select an arbitrary one-frame image that has been intra-coded or inter-coded from a moving image. It is.

According to this digital camera, it is possible to select a one-frame still image encoded by intra-frame encoding or inter-frame encoding from a moving image as a print image, a display image, or a transmission image. Can be recorded in the same removable non-volatile storage means as the moving image. By attaching the removable nonvolatile storage means to a printing device, a display device, or a communication device, it is possible to print, display, or transmit one frame image of the selected moving image.

[0025]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A first aspect of the present invention is a removable nonvolatile storage means, and a photographic means for storing a moving image captured in the nonvolatile storage means in a frame or between frames by encoding. A reproduction display unit that reproduces and displays a moving image from the non-volatile storage unit; an image selection unit that selects an arbitrary one-frame coded intra-frame image to be printed from the moving image; And print management information storage means for storing the information on the print image in the same non-volatile storage means as the moving image.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a nonvolatile storage device which is detachable, and a photographing device which encodes a moving image photographed in the nonvolatile storage device by intra-frame encoding or inter-frame encoding and stores the moving image. A reproduction display unit that reproduces and displays a moving image from the nonvolatile storage unit; an image selection unit that selects an arbitrary intra-frame image to be displayed from the moving image; and a selected display Display management information storage means for storing information about an image in the same non-volatile storage means as the moving image.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a nonvolatile storage device which is detachable, and a photographing device which encodes a moving image photographed in the nonvolatile storage device by intra-frame encoding or inter-frame encoding and stores the moving image. A reproduction display unit that reproduces and displays a moving image from the non-volatile storage unit; an image selection unit that selects an arbitrary intra-frame image to be transmitted from the moving image; A communication management information storage unit for storing information related to an image in the same nonvolatile storage unit as the moving image.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a nonvolatile storage device which is detachable, a photographing unit which encodes a moving image photographed in the nonvolatile storage unit by intra-frame encoding or inter-frame encoding, and stores the moving image. A reproduction display unit that reproduces and displays a moving image from the non-volatile storage unit; an image selection unit that selects an arbitrary intra-frame encoded image from the moving image; and a processing instruction for the selected image Management information storage means for storing a column in the same nonvolatile storage means as the moving image.

Further, the fifth invention of the present invention is directed to
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the image selecting means selects an arbitrary one-frame image that is intra-frame encoded or inter-frame encoded from a moving image.

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.

(Embodiment 1) Embodiment 1 of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a digital camera according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 101 denotes an optical system, 102 denotes an image sensor, and 103 denotes an A / D.
Transformer, 104 is a moving image signal processing circuit, 105 is an intra-frame / inter-frame encoding processing means, 106 is a memory card, which uniquely specifies a moving image subjected to intra-frame encoding and inter-frame encoding by a file name. Recording means for writing in the form of a file which can be written, REC is a recording switch, and these constitute an image pickup means 119.

Reference numeral 108 denotes a reproducing means for reading a moving image file by designating a file name; 109, a decoding processing means for decoding a moving image file which has been subjected to intra-frame coding and inter-frame coding; 110, a display image storage memory; Is a display signal processing circuit, 112 is a liquid crystal monitor (or a liquid crystal viewer, hereinafter simply referred to as liquid crystal), 113 is a reproduction control input means for controlling reproduction, frame advance, and the like. Constitute.

Reference numeral 114 denotes print information input means for designating a print image or print file for designating a print image. Reference numeral 115 denotes moving image information acquisition means for acquiring information on a video being displayed on the liquid crystal 112. Is configured.

Reference numeral 116 denotes print management information generating means for generating print management information, and reference numeral 106 denotes recording means for creating a moving image print management information file on a memory card, and these constitute a print management information storage means 117.

Reference numeral 122 denotes a flash memory card, which is a non-volatile memory that is detachable from the digital camera. This flash memory card 122 constitutes a removable nonvolatile storage means. Flash memory card 1
A moving image file 107 and a moving image print management information file 118 are stored in the DOS format 22.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the printing apparatus according to the present embodiment. In FIG.
Reference numeral 1 denotes a print management information acquisition unit that acquires the moving image print management information file 118 on the flash memory card 122;
02 is a print control unit that instructs printing in accordance with the acquired print management information, 203 is an image selection and reading unit that reads one frame image selected from the moving image file 107 on the flash memory card 122, and 204 is an image that is read by the image selection and reading unit 203 Decoding processing means for decoding the intra-coded image; 205, a print image storage memory for storing the decoded frame image; and 206, a print-specific image for the frame image stored in the print image storage memory 205 Print signal processing circuit for performing signal processing of
Denotes printing means for performing printing in accordance with print control, and these constitute the printing apparatus 200.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the contents of the moving image file 107 in the present embodiment. In FIG. 3, the inside of the moving image file 107 is composed of a plurality of intra-frame or inter-frame encoded frame images. The image selection from the moving image file 107 selects only the intra-frame encoded frame image.

FIG. 4A is a diagram showing a first example of the contents of the moving image print management information file 118 in the present embodiment. In FIG. 4A, the moving image print management information file 1
18, the number of lines is the moving image print management information file 1
18 shows the number of pieces of information. The image designation indicates that there is a frame image to be printed in the moving image file. The designated file name indicates a moving image file name to be printed. The frame designation indicates the number of the frame from the beginning of the moving image file. For example, F18 indicates that the image is the 18th frame. All of the selected frame images are intra-frame encoded frame images.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a directory structure in which a moving image print management information file according to the present invention is stored. In FIG. 5, a directory for storing a control file such as a moving image print management information file has a directory structure independent of a directory for storing still image files and moving image files.

FIG. 6A is a diagram showing a second example of the contents of the moving image print management information file according to the present invention. FIG.
(A) shows an example of a moving image print management information file when a page break is specified. All of the selected frame images are intra-frame encoded frame images.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an output result of the printing device or the display device according to the present invention.

The operation of the digital camera according to the present embodiment configured as described above will be described below.

In FIG. 1, the recording switch REC is
Is pressed. Then, the optical image of the subject formed by the optical system 101 is captured by the image sensor 102 as a moving image signal. The captured moving image signal is subjected to analog / digital conversion by the A / D converter 103 and signal processing is performed by the moving image signal processing circuit 104. The moving image signal subjected to the signal processing is subjected to intra-frame encoding or inter-frame encoding by the intra-frame encoding / inter-frame encoding processing unit 105. The recording means 106 writes the intra-frame and inter-frame encoded moving images into the memory card in the form of a file that can be uniquely identified by a file name.

Now, the movie file "AA"
A. MOV ”,“ BBB. MOV ”is a flash memory card 12
2 is assumed to be stored inside.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the contents of a moving image file according to the present invention. In FIG. 3, the moving image file 107
Is composed of a plurality of intra-frame or inter-frame encoded frame images. If only a frame image that has been intra-coded is selected, the frame image can be decoded even when read out in frame units.

By turning on the reproduction switch of the reproduction control input means 113, the user can view the photographed moving image on the liquid crystal 112. That is, the reproduction unit 108
Reads out one moving image file and decodes it.
In step 9, the intra-frame or inter-frame encoded frame image is decoded and stored in the display image storage memory 110. The display signal processing circuit 111 performs signal processing such as display γ correction and contour correction on the frame image stored in the display image storage memory 110, so that a moving image is displayed on the liquid crystal 112. When the user presses the frame advance key of the reproduction control input means 113, a frame image encoded in a frame by frame advance can be displayed on the liquid crystal 112. At this time, only the intra-frame encoded frame image is decoded and displayed.

In order for the user to select and register a video to be printed from a moving image file, first, the user selects a moving image file to be printed, for example, “AAA.MOV” by the reproduction control input means 113, and the reproduction means 108 The image is reproduced and displayed on the liquid crystal 112, and the print file designation key is pressed. Then, the moving image information acquisition means 115
From 8, the moving image file name being displayed is acquired. The print management information generating means 116 attaches a character string “IMAGE SRC FILE =” to the front of the file name, and the recording means 106 stores the moving image print management information file “AUTPRINT.MAK” in the flash memory card 122 as the first line. I do.

Next, the user uses the frame advance key to
First, the movie file “AAA.MOV” that you want to print
It is assumed that the intra-frame encoded third frame image is displayed. At this time, when the print designation key of the print information input unit 114 is pressed, the moving image information acquisition unit 115
8, information on the name of the moving image file being displayed and the number of the frame of the moving image data is acquired. Print management information storage unit 1
Reference numeral 17 attaches a file name and a frame designation after the character string “IMAGE SRCFRAM =”, and stores the second line of the moving image print management information file “AUTPRINT.MAK” in the flash memory card 122. Then, by the same operation,
Select the frame image you want to print from the movie file,
The data is stored in the flash memory card 122. Then, up to the fourth line in FIG. 4A is created. When a frame image is displayed frame-by-frame, only the intra-frame encoded frame image is displayed, so that all the selected images are intra-frame encoded frame images.

Next, when the user wants to print from another moving image file, the user selects the moving image file to be printed by the same operation and designates a frame.
A moving image print management information file of the fifth to eighth lines is created.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a directory structure in which a moving image print management information file according to the present invention is stored. In FIG. 5, a control file such as a moving image print management information file, a still image file, and a moving image file have independent directory structures. With such a directory structure, the flash memory card 12
When a file is automatically searched from step 2, search for a control file or a moving image file can be facilitated.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the printing apparatus according to the present embodiment. The operation of the printing apparatus will be described with reference to FIG.

First, the user prints the selected image on the flash memory card 1 in the printing apparatus 200.
22 is attached. Then, the print management information acquisition unit 201
Finds a file named “AUTPRINT.MAK” and notifies the print control unit 202 and the image selection / reading unit 203 of the contents of the file.

Upon receiving the contents of the moving image print management information file "AUTPRINT.MAK", the image selection and reading means 203 searches the moving image file in the flash memory card 122 for a print designation file, and reads the moving image file according to the frame designation information. Reads the image of the specified frame from the top. The read frame image encoded in the frame is decoded by the decoding processing unit 204 and stored in the print image storage memory 205. The frame image stored in the print image storage memory 205 is subjected to signal processing such as gradation correction and contour correction peculiar to printing by the print signal processing circuit 206, and the printing unit 207 performs printing in accordance with the instruction of the printing control unit 202.

With this configuration, a moving image print management information file having, as information, a frame image to be printed from a moving image file shot by a digital camera can be stored on the same flash memory card as the moving image file. it can.

As described above, the name of the moving image print management information file is determined to be “AUTPRINT.MAK” or the like. Thus, after the flash memory card is inserted into the printing apparatus 200, it is possible to automatically print a frame image selected from a moving image file without a digital camera.

FIG. 6A is a diagram showing a second example of the contents of the moving image print management information file according to the present invention. FIG.
(A) shows an example of a moving image print management information file when a page break is specified.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an output result of the printing apparatus according to the present invention.

The operation of a printing embodiment when a page break is designated will be described with reference to FIGS. 6A and 7. FIG.

First, a moving image file to be printed is selected and displayed on the liquid crystal 112 by the reproduction / display means 120. At this time, by pressing the print file designation key, the moving image file name to be printed can be registered in the moving image print management information file “AUTPRINT.MAK”. Next, using the frame advance key, an arbitrary one-frame image encoded in a frame in the moving image file is displayed as a video to be printed. At this time, by pressing the print designation key of the print information input means 114, the moving image print management information file "AUTPRINT.MAK" is pressed.
In the “movie file to be printed”, an image of an arbitrary one frame encoded in a frame in the movie file can be registered. After that, by the same operation, a frame image to be printed is selected from the movie file and the flash memory card 12 is selected.
Stored in 2. Then, up to the fifth line in FIG. 6 is created. Next, when the page break designation key of the print information input unit 114 is pressed, a character string "PAGE" is added after the character string "JOB =", and the sixth line in FIG. 6 is created. "PAGE"
Indicates a page break. Thereafter, a frame image to be further printed is selected from the moving image file and stored in the flash memory card 122. Then, a moving image print management information file “AUTPRINT.MAK” is created.

To print a frame image selected from a moving image file photographed by the digital camera of the present invention, first, the user mounts the flash memory card 122 on the printing apparatus 200 to print the selected frame image. Then, the print management information acquisition unit 201 sets “AU”
TPRINT. A file “MAK” is searched for, and the contents of the file are printed by the print control unit 202 and the image selection read unit 203
Notify.

Upon receiving the contents of the moving image print management information file "AUTPRINT.MAK", the image selection and reading means 203 searches for the specified file from the moving image files in the flash memory card 122, and uses the frame specifying information to start the moving image file. From the specified frame. The read frame image encoded in the frame is decoded by the decoding processing unit 204 and stored in the print image storage memory 205. The image selection and reading means 203 repeats this operation until a page break command, and stores the frame image in the print image storage memory 205. Printing control means 20
2 waits for printing until a page break command. The frame image stored in the print image storage memory 205 is subjected to print-specific signal processing such as gradation correction and contour correction by the print signal processing circuit 206, and the printing unit 207 performs multi-printing according to the instruction of the print control unit 202. . FIG. 7 shows the printing apparatus 20.
It is a figure showing an output result of 0. This is an example in which four frame images up to a page break command are multi-printed.

With this configuration, a moving image print management information file created from information (for example, multi-printing) relating to a frame image to be printed from a moving image file captured by a digital camera can be stored in the same flash memory as the moving image file. Can be stored on the card.

As described above, the name of the moving image print management information file is determined to be “AUTPRINT.MAK” or the like. Thus, after the memory card is inserted into the printing apparatus, the multi-print of the selected image can be automatically performed without a digital camera.

In this embodiment, the operation has been described with the removable nonvolatile storage means as a flash memory card. However, similar effects can be obtained by using a removable nonvolatile storage medium such as a disk. be able to.

Also, in the present embodiment, by capturing a moving image file as a one-frame still image file, a still image file to be printed is selected in the same manner as in a conventional digital camera. Can be recorded in the same removable non-volatile storage device as the still image file, and by mounting the removable non-volatile storage device in the printing device, the selected still image can be printed. can do.

Further, in the present embodiment, the operation has been described using the form feed information as the print management information. However, the user name, date, title, print type, number of prints, rotation information, etc. is there. Printing can be performed based on the print management information, or printing can be performed with the print management information.

(Embodiment 2) The operation of Embodiment 2 of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
8 and 9 show the configuration of a display system using a digital camera. 8, the same components as those in FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted.

In FIG. 8, reference numeral 814 denotes a display information input unit for specifying a display for selecting a display image or a display file, and the image selection unit 821 is constituted by the moving image information acquisition unit 115. Reference numeral 816 denotes a display management information generation unit that generates display management information, and forms a display management information storage unit 817 with the recording unit 106. A moving image display management information file 818 is stored in the flash memory card 122 in the DOS format.

In the present embodiment, similarly to the print system, the name of the moving image file selected by the user on the digital camera and the frame number of the intra-coded frame image selected in the moving image file are stored on the memory card. Create a movie display management information file "AUTDISP.MAK". The created video display management information file is
It is assumed that at least a file name to be transmitted and a frame designation are described as in the print management information file shown in FIG.

The user selects the flash memory card 122 from the display device 900 in FIG.
Attach. Then, the display management information acquisition unit 901 sets “
AUTDISP. A file "MAK" is searched for, and the contents of the file are displayed by the display control means 902 and the image selective reading means 903
Notify.

Upon receiving the contents of the moving image display management information file "AUTDISP.MAK", the image selection and reading means 903 searches the moving image file in the flash memory card 122 for the specified file, and uses the frame specifying information to start the moving image file. From the specified frame. The read frame image coded in the frame is decoded by the decoding processing unit 904 and stored in the display image storage memory 905. The display image processing circuit 906 performs display-specific signal processing such as γ correction and contour correction on the frame image stored in the display image storage memory 905, and
07 performs display according to the instruction of the display control means 902.

With this configuration, a moving image display management information file created from information on a frame image to be displayed from a moving image file shot by a digital camera can be stored on the same flash memory card as the moving image file. it can.

As described above, the name of the moving image display management information file is determined to be "AUTDISP.MAK" or the like. This allows
After the memory card is inserted into the display device, the display can be performed while automatically switching images without a digital camera.

In the present embodiment, the operation has been described with the removable nonvolatile storage means as a flash memory card, but the same effect can be obtained by using a removable nonvolatile storage medium such as a disk. be able to.

Also, in the present embodiment, by capturing a moving image file as a one-frame still image file, a still image file to be displayed is selected and a selected still image file is displayed in the same manner as in a conventional digital camera. Can be recorded in the same removable nonvolatile storage means as the still image file, and by attaching this removable nonvolatile storage means to the printing apparatus, the selected still image can be displayed. can do.

Further, in the present embodiment, the operation has been described using the file name and the frame number information as the display management information, but the user name, date, title,
There are display type, display time, rotation information, and the like. The display can be performed based on the display management information, or the display management information can be entered and displayed.

(Embodiment 3) The operation of Embodiment 3 of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 10 and 11 show the configuration of a communication system using a digital camera. 10, the same components as those in FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted.

In FIG. 10, reference numeral 1014 denotes communication information input means for designating a transmission image or a transmission file for selecting a transmission image, and constitutes an image selection means 1021 together with the moving picture information acquisition means 115Y. Reference numeral 1016 denotes communication management information generating means for generating communication management information,
Constitute the communication management information storage means 1017. 1
A moving image communication management information file 018 is stored in the flash memory card 122 in the DOS format.

In the present embodiment, similarly to the printing system, the moving image file name selected by the user on the digital camera and the frame number of the intra-frame coded frame image selected in the moving image file are stored on the memory card. Create the video communication management information file "AUTSEND.MAK". The created video communication management information file is
It is assumed that at least a file name to be transmitted and a frame designation are described as in the print management information file shown in FIG.

The user mounts the flash memory card 122 on the communication device 1100 shown in FIG. 11 to transmit the selected video. Then, the communication management information acquisition unit 1101 searches for a file “AUTSEND.MAK” and notifies the communication control unit 1102 and the image selection / readout unit 1103 of the contents of the file.

Upon receiving the contents of the moving image communication management information file "AUTSEND.MAK", the image selection and reading means 1203 searches for the specified file from the moving image files in the flash memory card 122, and starts the moving image file based on the frame specification information. From the specified frame. The read intraframe encoded frame image is decoded by the decoding processing unit 1104 and stored in the transmission image storage memory 1105. Transmission image storage memory 1105
The communication signal processing circuit 1106
Performs signal processing specific to communication such as contour correction and compression, and the communication unit 1107 performs transmission in accordance with an instruction from the communication control unit 1102.

With this configuration, the moving image communication management information file created from the information on the frame image to be transmitted from the moving image file shot by the digital camera can be stored on the same flash memory card as the moving image file. Can be.

As described above, the name of the moving image communication management information file is determined to be “AUTSEND.MAK” or the like. This allows
After a memory card is inserted into a communication device, transmission can be performed while automatically switching images without a digital camera.

In the present embodiment, the operation has been described using a removable nonvolatile storage means as a flash memory card, but the same effect can be obtained by using a removable nonvolatile storage medium such as a disk. be able to.

In the present embodiment, a moving image file is photographed as a one-frame still image file, so that a still image file to be transmitted is selected and the selected still image file is selected in the same manner as in a conventional digital camera. Can be recorded in the same removable nonvolatile storage means as the still image file, and by attaching this removable nonvolatile storage means to the communication device,
The selected still image can be transmitted.

In this embodiment, the operation has been described using the file name and the frame number as the communication management information. However, the user name, date, title,
There are a transmission type, a transmission number, rotation information, and the like. Transmission can be performed based on these pieces of communication management information, or transmission can be performed by including these pieces of communication management information.

(Embodiment 4) The operation of Embodiment 4 of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 7, FIG. 12, and FIG.

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing the contents of a moving image file according to the present embodiment. In FIG. 12, the inside of the moving image file 107 is composed of a plurality of intra-frame or inter-frame encoded frame images.

FIG. 13 is a relationship diagram showing an inter-frame encoding process according to the present embodiment.

The operation of the digital camera according to the present embodiment configured as described above will be described below.

In FIG. 1, the recording switch REC is
Is pressed. Then, the optical image of the subject formed by the optical system 101 is captured by the image sensor 102 as a moving image signal. The captured moving image signal is subjected to analog / digital conversion by the A / D converter 103 and signal processing is performed by the moving image signal processing circuit 104. The moving image signal subjected to the signal processing is subjected to intra-frame encoding or inter-frame encoding by the intra-frame encoding / inter-frame encoding processing unit 105. The recording means 106 writes the intra-frame and inter-frame encoded moving images into the memory card in the form of a file that can be uniquely identified by a file name.

Now, the moving image file “AA”
A. MOV ”,“ BBB. MOV ”etc. is a flash memory card 1
22.

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing the contents of a moving image file according to the present invention. In FIG. 12, moving image file 1
07 is composed of a plurality of intra-frame or inter-frame encoded frame images. If you select only frame images that are intra-coded,
Even when reading is performed in frame units, the frame image can be decoded. The inter-frame encoded frame image can be decoded using the preceding and following decoded frame images.

By turning on the reproduction switch of the reproduction control input means 113, the user can view the captured moving image on the liquid crystal. That is, the reproducing means 108 reads one moving image file, the decoding processing means 109 decodes the intra-frame or inter-frame encoded frame image, and stores it in the display image storage memory 110. The display signal processing circuit 111 performs signal processing such as γ correction for display and contour correction on the frame image stored in the display image storage memory 110, so that the liquid crystal 11
A moving image is displayed in 2. When the user presses the frame advance key of the reproduction control input means 113, a frame image can be displayed on the liquid crystal 112 by frame advance. At this time,
As shown in FIG. 13, the decoding processing unit 109 first decodes an intra-frame encoded frame image (for example, an I picture of an MPEG image), and then decodes an inter-frame forward prediction encoded image (for example, an MPEG image). (P picture of the image). Finally, by decoding an inter-frame bidirectional predictive coded image (for example, a B picture of an MPEG image) from the intra-frame coded image and the inter-frame forward predictive coded image, the frame image is transferred frame by frame by the liquid crystal 112. To be displayed.

In order for the user to select and register a video to be printed from a moving image file, first, the user selects a moving image file to be printed, for example, “AAA.MOV” by the reproduction control input means 113 and reproduces by the reproduction means 108. Display on the liquid crystal 112 and press the print file designation key. Then, the moving picture information acquiring means 115 is
To get the name of the video file being displayed. The print management information generating means 116 attaches a character string “IMAGE SRC FILE =” to the front of the file name, and the recording means 106 stores the moving image print management information file “AUTPRINT.MAK” in the flash memory card 122 as the first line. I do.

Next, the user uses the frame advance key to
It is assumed that the image of the third frame of the moving image file "AAA.MOV" is first displayed as the image to be printed. At this time, when the print designation key of the print information input unit 114 is pressed, the moving image information acquiring unit 115 acquires, from the reproducing unit 108, the name of the moving image file being displayed and the information of the frame of the moving image data. The print management information storage unit 117 stores “IMAGE SRC FRAM
= ”Followed by the file name and frame specification, and the movie print management information file“ AUTPRINT. The second line of the MAK “is stored in the flash memory card 122. After that, by the same operation, a frame image to be printed is selected from the moving image file and stored in the flash memory card 122. Then, 4 in FIG. Lines up to the line are created.

Next, when the user wants to print from another moving image file, the user selects the moving image file to be printed by the same operation and specifies the frame.
A moving image print management information file of the fifth to eighth lines is created.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a directory structure in which a moving image print management information file according to the present invention is stored. In FIG. 5, a control file such as a moving image print management information file, a still image file, and a moving image file have independent directory structures. By adopting such a directory structure, it is possible to easily search for a control file or a moving image file when automatically searching for a file from the flash memory card.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a printing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. The operation of the printing apparatus will be described with reference to FIG.

First, the user sets the flash memory card 1 in the printing device 200 to print the selected video.
22 is attached. Then, the print management information acquisition unit 201
Finds a file named “AUTPRINT.MAK” and notifies the print control unit 202 and the image selection / reading unit 203 of the contents of the file.

Upon receiving the contents of the moving image print management information file “AUTPRINT.MAK”, the image selection / reading means 203 searches the moving image file in the flash memory card 122 for a print designation file, and reads the moving image file according to the frame designation information. Reads the image of the specified frame from the top. Here, when the designated frame image is an inter-frame forward predictive coded image or an inter-frame bidirectional predictive coded image, as shown in FIG.
4 first decodes the intra-frame encoded frame image, and then decodes the inter-frame forward prediction encoded image. Finally, the bidirectional predictive coded image is decoded from the intra-frame coded image and the inter-frame forward coded image, and the frame image of the designated frame is decoded and stored in the print image storage memory 205. Print image storage memory 20
5 is stored in the print signal processing circuit 206.
Performs signal processing such as tone correction and contour correction specific to printing,
The printing unit 207 performs printing in accordance with an instruction from the print control unit 202.

With this configuration, a moving image print management information file created from information on a frame image to be printed from a moving image file shot by a digital camera can be stored on the same flash memory card as the moving image file. it can.

As described above, the name of the moving image display management information file is determined to be “AUTPRINT.MAK” or the like. Thus, after the flash memory card is inserted into the printing apparatus 200, it is possible to automatically print a frame image selected from a moving image file without a digital camera.

Although the operation according to the present embodiment has been described in the print system using the digital camera of the present invention, any system which can be mounted with a non-volatile storage means in which a moving image file and a moving image management information file are stored. For example, the same effect can be obtained in a display system or a communication system. That is, after a flash memory card storing a moving image file and a moving image management information file is inserted, display or transmission of a frame image selected from the moving image file can be automatically performed without a digital camera.

In this embodiment, the operation has been described with the removable nonvolatile storage means as a flash memory card. However, similar effects can be obtained by using a removable nonvolatile storage medium such as a disk. be able to.

Also, in the present embodiment, by capturing a moving image file as a one-frame still image file, a still image file to be printed, displayed or transmitted is selected and selected in the same manner as in a conventional digital camera. Information about the image of the still image file can be recorded in the same removable nonvolatile storage means as the still image file,
By attaching the removable nonvolatile storage means to a printing device, a display device, or a communication device, a selected still image can be printed, displayed, or transmitted.

[0108]

As described above, according to the digital camera of the present invention, the removable nonvolatile storage means and the moving picture taken on the nonvolatile storage means are encoded by intra-frame encoding or inter-frame encoding and stored. A reproduction means for reproducing and displaying a moving image from the non-volatile storage means; and an arbitrary intra-frame encoded one to be printed from the moving image.
An image selection unit for selecting an image of the frame; and a print management information storage unit for storing information on the selected print image on the same removable non-volatile storage unit as the moving image. One frame image can be selected as an image, and information on the selected print image can be recorded in the same removable nonvolatile storage unit as the moving image. By attaching the sex storage means to the printing apparatus, it is possible to provide a digital camera that realizes a print system capable of printing one frame image of a selected moving image.

Further, according to the digital camera of the present invention,
Removable nonvolatile storage means, photographing means for storing a moving image photographed on the non-volatile storage means by intra-frame coding or inter-frame coding and storing, and reproduction display for reproducing and displaying the moving image from the non-volatile storage means Means, an image selecting means for selecting an arbitrary intra-frame coded image to be displayed from the moving image, and a detachable non-volatile memory for storing information on the selected display image in the same manner as the moving image Display management information storage means for storing the one frame image as a display image from the moving image, and the information relating to the selected display image is the same as the moving image in the removable nonvolatile storage. By being configured to be able to record in the storage means, by attaching this detachable nonvolatile storage means to the display device, one of the selected moving images can be recorded. There is an advantage that it is possible to provide a digital camera to realize a display system capable of displaying frame images.

Further, according to the digital camera of the present invention,
Removable nonvolatile storage means, photographing means for storing a moving image photographed on the non-volatile storage means by intra-frame coding or inter-frame coding and storing, and reproduction display for reproducing and displaying the moving image from the non-volatile storage means Means, an image selecting means for selecting an arbitrary intra-frame coded image to be transmitted from a moving image, and a detachable nonvolatile storage for storing information on the selected transmitted image in the same manner as the moving image Communication management information storing means for storing on the means, a one-frame image can be selected as a transmission image from a moving image, and the information relating to the selected transmission image is the same as the moving image in a removable non-volatile memory. By being configured to be able to record in the storage means, by attaching this detachable nonvolatile storage means to the communication device, one of the selected moving images can be recorded. There is an advantage that it is possible to provide a digital camera to realize a communication system which can transmit the frame image.

Further, according to the digital camera of the present invention,
Removable nonvolatile storage means, photographing means for storing a moving image photographed on the non-volatile storage means by intra-frame coding or inter-frame coding and storing, and reproduction display for reproducing and displaying the moving image from the non-volatile storage means Means, an image selecting means for selecting an arbitrary one frame image to be printed, displayed or transmitted from the moving image, and information relating to the selected image on the same removable non-volatile storage means as the moving image. Storage information storage means for storing, printing from moving images,
One frame image can be selected as a display or transmission image, and information on the selected image can be recorded in the same removable non-volatile storage unit as the moving image, so that this removable image can be selected. A printing, display, or communication system capable of printing, displaying, or transmitting one frame image in a selected moving image is realized by attaching a non-volatile storage unit to a printing device, a display device, or a communication device. The effect that a digital camera can be provided is obtained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a digital camera according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a printing apparatus according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing contents of a moving image file according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a first example of the contents of a print management information file according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a directory structure in which print management information files are stored in the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a second example of the contents of the print management information file according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an output result of a printing device or a display device according to the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a digital camera according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a display device according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a digital camera according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a communication device according to the third embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing contents of a moving image file according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a relation diagram showing an inter-frame encoding process according to the fourth embodiment.

FIG. 14 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a digital camera in a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 101 Optical system 102 Image sensor 103 A / D converter 104 Video signal processing circuit 105 In-frame encoding processing means 106 Recording means 107 Video file 108 Reproduction means 109 Decoding means 110 Display image storage memory 111 Display signal processing circuit 112 Liquid crystal 113 Reproduction control input means 114 Print information input means 115 Video information acquisition means 116 Print management information generation means 117 Print management information storage means 118 Video print management information file 119 Imaging means 120 Playback display means 121 Image selection means 122 Flash memory card

──────────────────────────────────────────────────の Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI Theme coat ゛ (Reference) H04N 5/91 H04N 5/91 H 5/765 L (72) Inventor Hiroya Kusaka Kadoma-shi, Osaka 1006 Kadoma Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Masaaki Nakayama 1006 Kazuma Kadoma City, Osaka Pref. Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. FB01 FC06 GA02 GA05 GB06 GC05 GE06 GE08 5C053 FA08 FA27 GA11 GB21 KA04 KA25 LA01 LA03

Claims (5)

[Claims] A non-volatile storage unit that can be attached and detached; an imaging unit that encodes a moving image captured in the nonvolatile storage unit by intra-frame encoding or inter-frame encoding; and stores the moving image from the nonvolatile storage unit. Reproduction and display means for reproducing and displaying; an image selecting means for selecting an arbitrary one frame image encoded in a frame to be printed from a moving image; and information on the selected print image being the same as the moving image. And a print management information storage means for storing the print management information in the nonvolatile storage means. 2. A removable non-volatile storage means, an imaging means for storing a moving image captured in the non-volatile storage means by intra-frame encoding or inter-frame encoding, and storing the moving image from the non-volatile storage means Reproduction and display means for reproducing and displaying; an image selecting means for selecting an arbitrary one-frame encoded image to be displayed from a moving image; and information about the selected display image being the same as the moving image. And a display management information storage means for storing the information in the nonvolatile storage means. 3. A removable non-volatile storage unit, an imaging unit that stores a moving image captured in the non-volatile storage unit by intra-frame encoding or inter-frame encoding, and stores a moving image from the non-volatile storage unit. Reproduction display means for reproducing and displaying the image; image selection means for selecting an arbitrary one-frame coded intra-frame image to be transmitted from the moving image; information on the selected transmission image being the same as the moving image And a communication management information storage means for storing the information in the nonvolatile storage means. 4. A removable non-volatile storage unit, an imaging unit that stores a moving image captured in the non-volatile storage unit by intra-frame encoding or inter-frame encoding, and stores the moving image from the non-volatile storage unit. A reproducing and displaying means for reproducing and displaying; an image selecting means for selecting an arbitrary one frame image encoded in a frame from the moving image; and a processing instruction sequence for the selected image, the same as the moving image. A digital camera, comprising: management information storage means for storing in a non-volatile storage means. 5. The image selection means according to claim 1, wherein an arbitrary one-frame image which is intra-frame encoded or inter-frame encoded is selected from the moving images.
A digital camera according to any one of claims 1 to 4.