JP2003052015A - Digital image recording and reproducing system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve a problem of difficulty of mounting a large-scale inner memory, especially for a small portable machine, in which huge volumes of data, such as MPEG2 moving image and high-pixel JPEG static image, require a large-scale inner memory for storing moving image data in a long time or a plurality of static image data. SOLUTION: Whether there is a recording medium or not is detected, and when there is no recording medium, the image data is not recorded and only compressed picture data is recorded temporarily in an inner memory. Even when there is no recording medium, only a plurality of compressed picture data are stored temporarily in the inner memory so that a plurality of compressed pictures can be displayed at sight. Then, the merchandisability can be appealed for demonstration at sales situations.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a digital video recording / reproducing apparatus, and more particularly to a technology for digital still cameras, digital video cameras and the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional digital video recording / reproducing apparatus is
For example, there is a DVD camera. This camera records compressed data obtained by digitally compressing moving images, still images, etc. on a large-capacity recording medium (DVD-RAM disc) and data of a reduced image of the video at the start of recording, and recorded reduced image data. You can display a list of reduced images using, search for data such as the target movie or still image from the list of reduced images, and edit the searched movie or still image such as playing or deleting. Have unique characteristics. Searching and editing functions for moving images and still images using this reduced image are important for easy operation. In particular, displaying and demonstrating the above-mentioned functions at the store is effective for promoting the commercial characteristics.

However, if there is no recording medium, data of moving images, still images and reduced images cannot be recorded.
There is a problem that the above-mentioned search function and edit function cannot be displayed and demonstrated.

Further, in the prior art, in order to display the search function and the edit function, a method of recording one reduced image data in association with one image data is recorded. Although it is necessary to provide a memory for recording both the video data and the reduced image data inside the main body of the apparatus, it was not provided. Therefore, when there is no recording medium, the above-mentioned search function and editing function cannot be displayed, and “No recording medium” is displayed.

As a technique for solving the above problem, for example, there is a technique disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 3128806. According to this technique, a memory for recording video data for a plurality of frames is provided inside the camera body, and when there is no recording medium, the video data is temporarily stored in the internal memory. Even without the above, the display demonstration of the search function and the editing function can be performed. Further, when the recording medium is inserted, the video data can be copied to the recording medium.

[0006]

However, in the above-mentioned prior art, when the amount of video data is enormous, such as the MPEG2 moving image or the JPEG still image in which the amount of data to be recorded is increasing year by year, long-time moving image data is obtained. There is a problem that a large-capacity internal memory is needed to store multiple still image data. In particular, it has been difficult to mount a large-capacity internal memory in a small mobile device such as a digital video camera.

An object of the present invention is to enable a list display of a plurality of reduced images by temporarily recording a plurality of reduced image data in an internal memory even when there is no recording medium, for example, for demonstration at a store. Storage media theft,
Promote commerciality by enabling display and demonstration of search functions using reduced images and editing functions such as deletion of video data even when recording media cannot be put in the device due to reasons such as resale. Is possible.

[0008]

In order to solve the above problems, a first invention is an input signal processing unit for converting an input video into a digital video signal, and a digital video compression unit for digitally compressing the digital video signal. A reduced image generator for generating reduced image data of the digital image signal, an internal memory for temporarily recording the compressed data of the compressed digital image signal and the generated reduced image data, and a temporary recording on the internal memory A recording unit for recording the compressed data and the reduced image data on a removable recording medium and detecting the presence / absence of the recording medium, and a digital image decompression unit for decompressing the compressed data temporarily recorded on the internal memory. Converting the reduced image data and / or the decompressed decompressed data temporarily recorded on the internal memory into an analog video signal. A digital video recording / reproducing apparatus having a signal processing unit for performing a display process for generating a video signal for display together, the presence or absence of the recording medium is detected by the recording unit, and when the recording medium is not present, the internal A plurality of reduced image data are recorded in the memory, and a video signal for displaying the plurality of reduced image data on the recorded internal memory is generated.

[0009] With this, the display function can be performed by using the memory having a relatively small capacity to perform the search function using the reduced image and the editing function such as deletion of the video data.

More preferably, the internal memory is a memory for image processing used in the processing of the digital video compression unit.

As a result, it can be realized without increasing the memory.

Further preferably, the internal memory can change the allocation of the area for temporarily storing the reduced image data depending on the presence or absence of the recording medium.

As a result, it is possible to increase the number of recordable reduced images.

More preferably, the image pickup means and the display means are provided, and the video signal from the image pickup means is used as an input signal, and the video signal from the signal processing section is displayed on the display means.

[0015] With this, a display demonstration can be performed on the spot by using a video image taken by the camera with a digital video camera, a digital still camera, or the like.

Further, preferably, the digital compression method is MPEG.

Alternatively, the digital compression method is JPEG.

[0018]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below.
A description will be given with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a digital video camera of a digital video recording / reproducing apparatus according to the present invention. In FIG. 1, 1 is a camera for photographing, 2 is a camera signal processing unit for performing various signal processing such as converting a video signal from the camera into a digital signal, and 3 is compressed data of the digital video signal. A compressed image generation unit for generating reduced image data, 5 an internal memory, 5 an internal memory, 6 a removable recording medium, and 7 compressed data temporarily recorded in the internal memory 5 and reduction. A recording unit for recording image data on the recording medium 6 and detecting the presence / absence of the recording medium 6, a digital image decompressing unit 8 for decompressing the recorded compressed data,
Reference numeral 9 is a video signal processing unit for performing analog signal conversion of the reduced image data and / or expanded decompressed data and 10 is a display unit, and 11 is a control unit for controlling the entire apparatus.

In the present embodiment, the presence or absence of the recording medium 6 is detected by the recording unit 7, the control unit 11 is notified, and when the recording medium 6 is present, compressed video data and / or still images are detected under the control of the control unit 11. Data is temporarily recorded in the internal memory 5,
Further, the file is recorded on the recording medium 6 as a file, and the recording medium 6
If there is not, only the reduced image data is temporarily recorded in the internal memory 5.

First, the flow of a recording signal when there is a recording medium will be described. During recording, an electric signal obtained from the camera 1 is converted into a digital video signal by the camera signal processing unit 2 and sent to the digital video compression unit 3 and the reduced image generation unit 4.
The compressed data obtained by the digital video compression unit 3 is temporarily recorded in the compressed data temporary recording area on the internal memory 5. The compressed data temporarily recorded in the compressed data temporary recording area on the internal memory 5 is recorded as a file on the recording medium 6 at a predetermined timing. On the other hand, the video signal at the start of recording is generated as reduced image data by the reduced image generation unit 4 and temporarily recorded in the reduced image data temporary recording area on the internal memory 5. After that, at the end of recording, the reduced image data temporarily recorded in the reduced image data temporary recording area of the internal memory 5 and the compressed data temporarily recorded in the compressed data temporary recording area of the internal memory 5 are stored in the recording medium 6. Is recorded as. By repeating the start and end of the recording, a plurality of files of reduced image data and compressed image data are recorded on the recording medium 6.

Second, the flow of a reproduction signal when there is a recording medium will be shown. After the recording is completed, when a predetermined operation for displaying a list of reduced images is performed, a plurality of reduced image data recorded as files on the recording medium 6 is read to the internal memory 5 and read to the internal memory 5. The output reduced image data is displayed as a reduced image in a list on the display unit 10 via the video signal processing unit 9. When the video to be reproduced is selected from the reduced images, the compressed data corresponding to the reduced images recorded as a file on the recording medium 6 is read into the internal memory 5.
The compressed data read to the internal memory 5 is expanded by the digital video expansion unit 8 and displayed as a video on the display unit 10 via the video signal processing unit 9.

Third, the flow of a recording signal when there is no recording medium will be described. At the time of recording operation, the electric signal obtained from the camera 1 is converted into a digital video signal by the camera signal processing unit 2 and sent to the reduced image generating unit 4. The reduced image data generated by the reduced image generation unit 4 is temporarily recorded in the reduced image data temporary recording area on the internal memory 5, and the process ends. By repeating the above recording operation, a plurality of reduced image data are temporarily recorded in the reduced image data temporary recording area on the internal memory 5.

Since the internal memory 5 is not used for temporary recording of compressed image data, a compressed image temporary recording area of the internal memory 5 is assigned to a reduced image data temporary recording area, so that a reduced image that can be recorded is generated. It is also possible to increase.

Fourth, the flow of a reproduction signal when there is no recording medium will be described. When a predetermined operation for displaying a list of reduced images is performed after performing the recording operation described in the third, the plurality of reduced image data temporarily recorded in the reduced image data temporary recording area on the internal memory 5 becomes an image. A list of reduced images is displayed on the display unit 10 via the signal processing unit 9. Where, for example,
When the image to be deleted is selected from the reduced images and a predetermined deletion operation is performed, the selected reduced image data in the reduced image data temporary recording area on the internal memory 5 is deleted, and the reduced image after deletion is the video signal processing unit 9 The editing function can be displayed and demonstrated, such as being displayed as an image on the display unit 10 via. However, in the case of the reproduction operation here, since there is no compressed data corresponding to the reduced image, the video cannot be displayed but the operation can be demonstrated.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing the flow of the recording process of FIG. The power is turned on in S1 and the presence / absence of the recording medium 6 is determined in S2. S when the recording medium 6 is present
3. If there is no recording medium 6, go to S15.

First, the flow of recording processing when the recording medium 6 is present will be described. First, in S3, the internal memory 5 is divided into a compressed data temporary recording area and a reduced image data temporary recording area at an arbitrary predetermined first ratio, and after that, the recording is temporarily stopped in S4, and a recording start request by a user operation or Waiting for a reduced image display request.

Here, when the recording start request S23 is entered by the user operation S22, the process proceeds to S5 to start the recording process. If there is no user operation, the process returns to the recording paused state of S4. Further, when the reduced image display request 24 is input, the process proceeds to S31 in FIG.

When the recording process is started, the recording processing section of S6 is executed. The process proceeds to S7 to generate a reduced image of the input video signal and to S9 to compress the video signal.
The reduced image generated in S7 is temporarily recorded in the reduced image data temporary recording area on the internal memory 5 in S8, and the recording end request S
Wait 25 The digital video signal is compressed by S9,
The compressed data that has been compressed is temporarily recorded in the compressed data temporary recording area on the internal memory 5 in S10, and the process proceeds to S11. S1
If it is 1 and the compressed data temporary recording area on the internal memory 5 is not full, the process proceeds to S9 again, and the digital video signal is compressed, and the processing is continued until the compressed data temporary recording area on the internal memory 5 is full. When the compressed data temporary recording area on the internal memory 5 is full in S11, the process proceeds to S12,
The compressed data is recorded on the recording medium 6 and the internal memory 5
The upper compressed data temporary recording area is emptied and the process proceeds to S9 again, the digital video signal is compressed, the processing is continued until the compressed data temporary recording area on the internal memory 5 is full, and the recording end request S25 is waited.

A recording end request S is issued during execution of the recording processing unit in S6.
When 25 is entered, the process proceeds to S13, the reduced image data temporarily recorded in the internal memory 5 and the remaining compressed data are recorded in the recording medium 6, the recording is completed in S14, and the recording is suspended again in S4. Waiting for a start request or a reduced image display request.

Second, the flow of the recording process when there is no recording medium 6 will be described. First, in S15, the internal memory 5 is divided and allocated to a compressed data temporary recording area and a reduced image data temporary recording area at an arbitrary predetermined second ratio. In the present embodiment, the compressed data temporary recording area is also allocated as the reduced image data temporary recording area, and then the recording is temporarily stopped in S16, and a recording start request or a reduced image display request by a user operation is awaited.

When a recording start request S27 is entered by the user operation S26, the process proceeds to S17 to start the recording process. Here, if there is no user operation, the process returns to the recording suspended state of S16. When the reduced image display request 28 is received, the process proceeds to S51 in FIG.

When the recording process is started, the recording processing section of S18 is executed. The process proceeds to S19 to generate a reduced image of the input video signal. The reduced image generated in S19 is S
In 20 the temporary recording is performed in the recording area allocated to the reduced image data temporary recording area in the internal memory 5, the recording is ended in S21, the recording is suspended again in S16, and the recording start request or the reduced image display request is waited. .

In this embodiment, when the recording medium 6 is not provided, only the reduced image is temporarily recorded, so that it is not necessary to request the recording end and the recording end operation is automatically started.
The recording is not limited to this, and the recording may be ended by a predetermined operation.

Here, the allocation of the recording area of the internal memory 5 is set to the predetermined first and second ratios, but the same ratio may be used.

FIG. 3 is a diagram when the recording medium of FIG. 1 is present.
14 is a flowchart showing a flow of a reproduction process after the request for displaying the reduced image in S24.

First, when a reduced image display request is made in S24 of FIG. 2, the process proceeds to S31 of FIG. 3 and a plurality of reduced image data recorded in the recording medium 6 is read out to the internal memory 5. Then S
32 reduced image display processing units are executed. In S33, a list of the reduced images read out to the internal memory 5 is displayed on the display unit 10, and in S34, the reduced images to be reproduced or deleted are selected,
Waiting for a reproduction request or a deletion request.

When the deletion request S43 is entered, the process proceeds to S35,
The selected reduced image data and the corresponding compressed data are deleted from the recording medium 6. Next, the selected reduced image data is deleted from the internal memory 5 in S36, and the reduced image list is displayed again in S33.

When the reproduction request S44 is entered, the process proceeds to S37 to start the reproduction. When the reproduction is started, the reproduction processing unit of S38 is executed. First, in S39, it is checked whether or not compressed data is stored in the internal memory 5, and if not, S40
If there is compressed data, the process proceeds to S41. In S40, the compressed data corresponding to the selected reduced image is recorded on the recording medium 6
To the internal memory 5, and the process proceeds to S41. In S41, the compressed data in the internal memory 5 is expanded by a digital signal, and S
At 42, the reproduced image is displayed on the display unit 10. Then again S3
Returning to 9, the reproduction process is continued.

When a reproduction end request S45 is input during execution of the reproduction processing unit of S38, the process proceeds to S31, the plurality of reduced image data recorded in the recording medium 6 is read into the internal memory 5, and the reduced image list display is performed again in S33. To do.

FIG. 4 is a diagram of FIG. 2 when the recording medium of FIG. 1 is not provided.
14 is a flowchart showing a flow of a reproduction process after the request for displaying the reduced image in S28.

First, when a reduced image display request is made in S28 of FIG. 2, the reduced image display processing section of S51 is executed. In S52, the thumbnail images temporarily recorded in the internal memory 5 in S18 of FIG. 2 are displayed on the display unit 10 as a list, and the thumbnail images to be deleted or the like are selected in S53, and the deletion request waits.

When the deletion request S54 is entered, the process proceeds to S55,
The selected reduced image data is deleted from the internal memory 5, and the reduced image list display of S52 is performed again.

In this embodiment, the digital video camera has been explained, but the present invention is not limited to this, and a digital still camera and a stationary type recording / reproducing apparatus having no image pickup means and display means may be used.

Needless to say, the digital compression method is not limited to MPEG, JPEG, DVC.
A device equipped with a digital compression method such as is included in the category.

The embodiments of the present invention have been described above.
Although not shown, it is assumed that operation buttons for starting and ending recording and reproduction are prepared.

Further, in the present embodiment, the processes are classified according to the presence / absence of the recording medium 6 using the recording unit 7, but the same applies to the classification of the processes depending on the presence / absence of the remaining amount of the recording medium 6.

Further, in this embodiment, the processing is classified according to the presence / absence of the recording medium 6 using the recording unit 7, but a mode dedicated to the demonstration may be provided to classify the processing.

[0048]

As described above, according to the present invention, the presence / absence of a recording medium is detected, and when there is no recording medium, only a plurality of reduced images are temporarily recorded in the internal memory. Even if there is no medium, it becomes possible to display a list of reduced images and perform editing such as search and deletion.

[Brief description of drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a flow of recording processing of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a flow of a reproduction process when the recording medium of FIG. 1 is present.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a flow of reproduction processing when there is no recording medium shown in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Camera 2 ... Camera signal processing unit 3 ... Digital video compression unit 4 ... Reduced image generation unit 5 ... Internal memory 6 ... Removable recording medium 7 ... Recording section 8 ... Digital video decompression unit 9 ... Video signal processing unit 10 ... Display 11 ... Control unit

Continued front page    (72) Inventor Yoneyama alone             292 Yoshida-cho, Totsuka-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa             Ceremony Hitachi Digital Media Development Book             Department F-term (reference) 5C052 AA17 DD04 GA03 GA04                 5C053 FA06 FA08 FA14 FA22 FA25                       GB36 GB37 HA29 LA01

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. An input signal processing unit for converting an input image into a digital image signal, a digital image compression unit for digitally compressing the digital image signal, and a reduced image generation unit for generating reduced image data of the digital image signal. An internal memory for temporarily recording the compressed data of the compressed digital video signal and the generated reduced image data, and a removable recording medium on which the compressed data and the reduced image data temporarily recorded on the internal memory are attached. A recording unit for recording and detecting the presence / absence of the recording medium, a digital video decompression unit for decompressing the compressed data temporarily recorded on the internal memory,
A signal processing unit for converting the reduced image data and / or the decompressed decompressed data temporarily recorded on the internal memory into an analog video signal and performing a display process for generating a video signal for display is provided. In the digital video recording / reproducing device, the presence or absence of the recording medium is detected by the recording unit, and when the recording medium is not present, a plurality of reduced image data is recorded in the internal memory, and a plurality of reduced images on the recorded internal memory are recorded. A digital video recording / reproducing apparatus characterized by generating a video signal for displaying image data. 2. The digital video recording / reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the internal memory is an image processing memory used for processing of the digital video compression unit. Video recording / playback device. 3. The digital video recording / reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the internal memory can change the allocation of the area for temporarily storing the reduced image data depending on the presence or absence of the recording medium. The digital video recording / reproducing apparatus according to claim 1. 4. The digital video recording / reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an image pickup means and a display means, wherein a video signal from the image pickup means is used as an input signal and the video signal from the signal processing section is used as the input signal. 4. The digital video recording / reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the digital video recording / reproducing apparatus displays on a display means. 5. The digital video recording / reproducing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the digital compression method is MPEG. 6. The digital video recording / reproducing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the digital compression method is JPEG.