JP2002314861A - Imaging device and method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent important image data from being erased. SOLUTION: The imaging device comprises an image pickup section for picking up the image of a subject, a memory that cannot be overwritten, and a data-writing section for writing image data that is outputted from the image pickup section into the empty region of memory. In addition, the imaging device comprises a memory exchange detection section for detecting that the memory has been exchanged, and a write prohibition section for prohibiting the writing into the exchanged memory to the data-writing section when the exchange in memory has been detected. Further, the imaging device has a determination section for determining whether writing of image data to the exchanged data is permitted or not. The write prohibition section cancels write prohibition to the memory by the write prohibition section with the determination of the permission of writing by the determination section as a condition.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] The present invention relates to an imaging apparatus and an imaging method. In particular, the present invention relates to an imaging apparatus and an imaging method in which the number of times an image can be captured is limited.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there has been known an imaging apparatus for writing an image obtained by imaging an object to a recording medium such as a flash memory. In such a conventional imaging apparatus, even if an image is already stored in a recording medium, a newly captured image can be overwritten on the image.

[0003]

However, in the above-described conventional imaging apparatus, the user erroneously overwrites a newly captured image on an image that the user does not want to delete, and as a result, an important commemorative photograph or the like is deleted. I could lose.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an imaging apparatus and an imaging method that can solve the above-mentioned problems. This object is achieved by a combination of features described in the independent claims. The dependent claims define further advantageous embodiments of the present invention.

[0005]

That is, an image pickup apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention comprises: an image pickup section for picking up an image of a subject; a memory which cannot be overwritten; And a data writing unit for writing the data into the memory.

[0006] The image pickup apparatus includes a memory replacement detecting unit for detecting that the memory has been replaced, and a writing unit for prohibiting the data writing unit from writing to the replaced memory when the memory replacement is detected. A prohibition unit may be further provided.

In this case, the image pickup apparatus further includes a determining unit for determining whether writing of the image data to the replaced memory is permitted, and the write prohibiting unit determines that the writing is permitted. It is preferable to release the write-protection to the memory by the write-protection unit on condition that the determination is made.

[0008] Further, the imaging apparatus further includes a data input unit that receives an input of user input data from a user and sends the data to the determination unit, wherein the determination unit includes a predetermined release command in the user input data. It is preferable to determine that writing is permitted under the condition of.

Alternatively, the imaging apparatus further includes an information reading unit that reads the determination target data in a predetermined area in the exchanged memory and sends the data to the determination unit, wherein the determination target includes a release command in the determination target data. It may be determined that the writing is permitted on condition that the writing is performed.

[0010] The imaging apparatus may further include a structure detecting unit for detecting whether or not the replaced memory has a predetermined structure. The determination unit may write the data on condition that the structure is detected. May be determined to be permitted. In this case, it is preferable that the structure detecting unit is a connection terminal connected to a memory-side terminal provided at a predetermined position of the memory.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an imaging method for imaging an object and outputting image data, and a method for writing image data to a free area of a memory in which data can be written only once in the same memory area. Writing step.

An image pickup apparatus according to a third aspect of the present invention includes an image pickup section for picking up an image of a subject, an image storage section for storing image data output by the image pickup section, and records the number of times the image pickup section has picked up the image of the subject. An imaging frequency recording unit that performs imaging, and an imaging frequency limiting unit that prohibits the imaging unit from performing imaging on condition that the imaging frequency has reached a predetermined upper limit.

[0013] The imaging apparatus may further include a notifying section for notifying the user that the imaging is prohibited when the imaging number limiting section prohibits the imaging.

[0014] Further, the image pickup apparatus is provided with a data input unit for receiving an input of user input data from a user, and a recording unit for recording the number of times on condition that the user input data includes a predetermined initialization command. The apparatus may further include a number-of-imaging-reset unit that initializes the number of times of imaging.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an imaging method for imaging an object and outputting image data, an image storing step for storing image data, and an imaging number recording for recording the number of times of imaging. And an image-capturing-number limiting step of prohibiting the image capturing on condition that the image-capturing number has reached a predetermined upper limit.

The above summary of the present invention does not list all of the necessary features of the present invention, and a sub-combination of these features can also be an invention.

[0017]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, the present invention will be described through embodiments of the present invention. However, the following embodiments do not limit the claimed invention and have the features described in the embodiments. Not all combinations are essential to the solution of the invention. FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of an imaging device 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The imaging device 100 according to the present embodiment includes a memory 106 that cannot be overwritten, such as a one-time programmable ROM.
And an image capturing unit 102 that captures an image of a subject, and a data writing unit 104 that writes image data output by the image capturing unit 102 into a free area of the memory 106.

The image capturing apparatus 100 includes a write-protection unit 10
8, a memory exchange detection unit 110, a determination unit 112, and a data input unit 114. The memory exchange unit 110 detects whether or not the memory 106 has been exchanged, for example, by determining whether or not predetermined data is recorded in a predetermined area of the memory 106. The data input unit 114 receives input of user input data from the user by wire communication or wireless communication, or by key input. Further, the data input unit 114 transmits the received user input data to the determination unit 112.

The determination unit 112 determines whether the memory 106 has been replaced.
It is determined whether writing of image data to is permitted. In the case of the present embodiment, the determination unit 112 determines that writing to the memory 106 is permitted when the user input data input to the data input unit 114 includes a predetermined release command.

When the memory replacement detection unit 110 detects that the memory 104 has been replaced, the write prohibition unit 108 prohibits the data writing unit 104 from writing to the replaced memory 104. Also, the write-protection unit 10
8, when the determination unit 112 outputs a determination result that writing to the memory 104 is permitted, the data writing unit 1
The release of the write-protection of the memory 04 to the memory 104 is released.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation of the image pickup apparatus 100. In the imaging device 100 of the present embodiment,
First, the memory exchange unit 110 checks whether the memory 106 has been exchanged (S102). As a result, if the memory 106 has been replaced,
8 prohibits the data writing unit 104 from writing image data to the memory 104 (S102: Y, S10).
4).

When the data input unit 114 receives the input of the user input data (S106: Y), the determination unit 112
It is determined whether or not the user input data to which the is input includes a release instruction (S108). When the determination unit 112 determines in S108 that the release command is included in the user input data (S108: Y), the write prohibition unit 10
8 releases the prohibition of writing to the memory 106 performed in S104 (S110).

Next, for example, when the user presses the release button and instructs the image capturing apparatus 100 to capture an image, the image capturing section 102 captures an image of the subject and transmits the resulting image data to the data writing section 104. (S112). The data writing unit 104 to which the image data has been transmitted has a sufficient free area for writing the image data in the memory 106 when the writing of the data to the memory 106 is not prohibited by the write prohibition unit 108. It is confirmed whether or not (S114: N, S116). If there is a sufficient free area, the data writing unit 104 writes the image data transmitted from the imaging unit 102 to the free area of the memory 106 (S118). On the other hand, when data writing is prohibited by the write prohibiting unit 108 (S114: Y), or when there is not enough free space for writing image data in the memory 106 (S116: N), data writing is performed. Part 1
04 does not write the image data to the memory 106, and the imaging apparatus 100 ends the operation.

As described above, in the present embodiment, image data captured by the image capturing unit 102 is stored in a free area of the memory 106 where overwriting cannot be performed. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the newly captured image data is overwritten on the image data already stored in the memory 106, and an important image captured in the past is not lost unintentionally.

FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram of an imaging device 200 according to the second embodiment of the present invention. The imaging device 200 according to the first embodiment includes an information reading unit 120 instead of the data input unit 114 in the imaging device 10 according to the first embodiment.
Different from 0. In other respects, imaging device 200 is identical to imaging device 100.

The information reading unit 120 is a memory exchange detecting unit 1
10 detects that the memory 106 has been replaced,
The determination target data in the predetermined address area is read and transmitted to the determination unit 120. The determination unit 112
It is determined whether or not the transmitted determination target data includes a predetermined release command. When the determination target data includes a release instruction, the determination unit 112 determines that writing of data to the memory 106 is permitted, and as a result, the write prohibition unit 108 writes the data to the memory 106. Release the prohibition.

As described above, in the present embodiment, it is determined based on the data stored in the exchanged memory 106 whether or not the writing of the image data to the memory 106 should be prohibited. Therefore, in the present embodiment, unlike the first embodiment, there is no need to perform a procedure for the user to input specific data to the imaging device, which is convenient.

FIG. 4 is a functional block diagram of an imaging device 300 according to a third embodiment of the present invention. The imaging device 300 of the present embodiment is different from the imaging device 100 of the first embodiment in having a structure detection unit 140 instead of the data input unit 114. In other respects, imaging device 300 is identical to imaging device 100.

The structure detector 140 detects whether or not the memory 106 has a predetermined structure. For example, when the memory 106 is an IC chip, the predetermined structure part is a metal plate (hereinafter, referred to as a “memory side terminal”) provided at the bottom of the IC chip or the like. When the IC chip is mounted on the imaging device 300, the connection terminal may be in contact with the memory-side terminal. In this case, the structure detection unit 140 detects that the memory 106 has a predetermined structure portion by contacting the terminal on the memory side and establishing conduction. Further, the predetermined structure part may be a pin terminal at a predetermined position of the IC chip set to the ground, and the structure detection part 140 may be a socket terminal into which the pin terminal is inserted. In this case, the concept detection unit 140 detects that the memory 106 has a predetermined structure based on the fact that the potential of the pin terminal of the inserted IC chip is at the ground level.

When detecting that there is a predetermined structure in the memory 106, the structure detector 140 transmits a detection signal to that effect to the determiner 112. The determination unit 112 determines that data writing to the memory 106 is permitted when the detection signal is transmitted, and as a result, the data writing unit 1
04 releases the write-protection of data to the memory 106.

As described above, in the present embodiment, if a predetermined structural part is present in the exchanged memory 106, the structure detecting unit 140 detects it, and as a result, writing of image data into the memory 106 is prohibited. Will open automatically. Therefore, in the present embodiment, similarly to the second embodiment, there is no need to perform a procedure for the user to input specific data to the imaging device, which is convenient.

FIG. 5 is a functional block diagram of an imaging device 400 according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. Imaging device 400
Includes an imaging unit 404, an image storage unit 402, and an image erasing unit 410. The imaging unit 404 captures an image of a subject. The image storage unit 402 stores image data output by the imaging unit 404. Further, the image erasing unit 410 erases image data designated by the user from the image data stored in the image storage unit 402.

The imaging apparatus 400 further includes an imaging number recording unit 404, an imaging number limiting unit 412, a notification unit 416, a data input unit 414, and an imaging number reset unit 408. The number-of-images recording unit 406 records the number of times that the imaging unit 404 has imaged the subject. Number-of-imagings restriction unit 412
Compares the number of times of imaging recorded in the number-of-times-of-imaging recording unit 404 with a predetermined upper limit value, and prohibits the imaging unit 404 from imaging when the number of times of imaging reaches the upper limit value.
The notifying unit 414 determines that the imaging number limiting unit 412
When the image capture is prohibited, a message is displayed on, for example, a liquid crystal display to notify the user that the image capture is prohibited. The data input unit 414 is
An input of user input data is received from a user. The imaging count reset unit 408 checks whether the user input data received by the user input unit 414 includes a predetermined initialization command. If the user input data includes an initialization command, the number-of-times-of-imaging reset unit 408
Initializes the number of times of imaging recorded in the number-of-times recording unit 406.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the operation of the image pickup apparatus 400. In the imaging device 400, first, the image erasing unit 410 checks whether or not there is a user's instruction to delete an image (S202). When an instruction to delete an image is received from the user, the image erasing unit 410 deletes the designated image data from the image storage unit 402 (S202: Y, S
204). Next, whether or not data including an initialization command has been input to the data input unit 414 is determined by the imaging count reset unit 40.
8 confirms (S206). If the initialization command has been input, the imaging count reset unit 408 initializes the imaging count recorded in the imaging count recording unit 406 to, for example, 0 (S206: Y, S208).

Next, the number-of-imagings limiting section 412 reads the number of times of imaging recorded in the number-of-imagings recording section 406 (S2).
10) It is determined whether or not the number of times of imaging is equal to or greater than a predetermined upper limit (S212). If the number of times of imaging is equal to or more than the upper limit, the number of times of imaging limiting unit 412
04 is prohibited from imaging (S212: Y, S21)
4). Further, the notification unit 212 notifies the user that the imaging is prohibited (S216).

If the number of times of imaging is less than the upper limit in S212 (S212: N) or if the process of S216 is executed, the imaging unit 404 waits for an imaging instruction from the user by pressing the release button. (S218).
When there is an imaging instruction and imaging is not prohibited by the imaging number limiting unit 412 (S218: Y, S220
N), the imaging unit 404 captures an image of the subject and outputs image data (S222), and the image storage unit 402 stores the image data (S224). Also, the number-of-imagings recording unit 406
Is updated to a value obtained by adding 1 to the number of times of imaging recorded by (S)
226).

After the end of S226, or when the imaging is prohibited in S220 (S220: Y), the imaging apparatus 400 ends its operation.

As described above, in the present embodiment, the imaging unit 40
The number of times of imaging using 0 is limited to a predetermined upper limit, and it is not possible to perform imaging without limit unless a reset operation of the number of imagings is performed. For this reason, the user operates the image storage unit 40 so that as much image data as possible is left in the image storage unit 402 when the number of times of imaging reaches the upper limit.
2, the act of deleting image data is carefully performed. As a result, it is possible to prevent the user from inadvertently deleting important image data from the image storage unit 402.

As described above, the present invention has been described using the embodiments. However, the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the scope described in the above embodiments. Various changes or improvements can be added to the above embodiment. It should be noted that embodiments with such changes or improvements may be included in the technical scope of the present invention.
It is clear from the description of the claims.

[0040]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, there is provided an imaging apparatus capable of suppressing a situation in which a user inadvertently deletes important image data.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of an imaging device 100 according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of the imaging apparatus 100.

FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram of an imaging device 200 according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a functional block diagram of an imaging device 300 according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a functional block diagram of an imaging device 400 according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an operation of the imaging device 400.

[Explanation of symbols]

 100, 200, 300, 400 Imaging device 102 Imaging unit 104 Data writing unit 106 Memory 108 Write-protection unit 110 Memory exchange detection unit 112 Judgment unit 114 Data input unit 120 Information reading unit 140 Structure detection unit 402 Image storage unit 404 Imaging Unit 406 number-of-imaging recording unit 408 number-of-imaging resetting unit 412 number-of-imaging-number limiting unit 414 data input unit 416 notification unit

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Takeharu Omata 2-26-30 Nishiazabu, Minato-ku, Tokyo Inside Fujisha Shin Film Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Yuki Okabe 2-26-30 Nishiazabu, Minato-ku, Tokyo F-term in Fujisha Shin Film Co., Ltd. (reference) 5B017 AA02 BB03 CA11 5B058 CA02 CA26 KA02 KA04 KA13 YA20 5C022 AA00 AB00 AC69 5C052 GA02 GC00 GE06 GF00

Claims (12)

[Claims] 1. An imaging apparatus, comprising: an imaging unit for imaging a subject; a memory that cannot be overwritten; and a data writing unit that writes image data output by the imaging unit to a free area of the memory. 2. A memory replacement detection unit for detecting that the memory has been replaced, and a document for prohibiting the data writing unit from writing to the replaced memory when the replacement of the memory is detected. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a prohibition unit. 3. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a determination unit configured to determine whether writing of the image data to the exchanged memory is permitted, wherein the writing prohibition unit determines that the writing is permitted. The imaging apparatus according to claim 2, wherein, on the condition that the determination is made, the write protection of the memory by the write protection unit is released. 4. A data input unit which receives an input of user input data from a user and sends the input to the determination unit, wherein the determination unit determines that the user input data includes a predetermined release command. 4. The method according to claim 3, wherein it is determined that the writing is permitted as a condition.
An imaging device according to claim 1. 5. An information reading unit for reading data to be determined in a predetermined area in the exchanged memory and sending the data to the determining unit, wherein the determining unit is configured to determine whether the release instruction is sent to the data to be determined. The imaging apparatus according to claim 3, wherein it is determined that the writing is permitted on condition that the writing is included. 6. A structure detection unit for detecting whether or not the exchanged memory has a predetermined structure unit, wherein the determination unit performs the writing on condition that the structure unit is detected. The imaging apparatus according to claim 3, wherein it is determined that is allowed. 7. The imaging device according to claim 6, wherein the structure detection unit is a connection terminal connected to a memory-side terminal provided at a predetermined position of the memory. 8. An image capturing step of capturing an image of a subject and outputting image data, and a data writing step of writing the image data in a free area of a memory in which data can be written only once in the same memory area. Imaging method. 9. An imaging unit for imaging a subject, an image storage unit for storing image data output by the imaging unit, an imaging count recording unit for recording the number of imagings of the subject by the imaging unit; An imaging apparatus, comprising: an imaging frequency limiting unit that prohibits the imaging unit from capturing an image on the condition that the number of times reaches a predetermined upper limit. 10. The imaging apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising a notification unit that notifies a user that imaging is prohibited when the imaging number restriction unit prohibits imaging. 11. A data input unit for receiving an input of user input data from a user, and recorded in the number recording unit on condition that the user input data includes a predetermined initialization command. The imaging apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising: an imaging count reset unit configured to initialize the imaging count. 12. An image capturing step of capturing an object and outputting image data, an image storing step of storing the image data, an image capturing number recording step of recording the image capturing number, and the image capturing number is predetermined. An imaging number limiting step of prohibiting the imaging on condition that the upper limit is reached.