JP2004135233A - Recording apparatus for audio and still picture data - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an apparatus for long-time recording even with a small data capacity since it is difficult to perform recording for a sufficient time in a moving picture recording format when it is desired to record all audio but not a moving picture and a still picture is enough as an image, such as in a conference. <P>SOLUTION: Recording is performed in an audio recording format and a still picture recording format. Thus, long-time recording is realized with a small capacity, the still picture is photographed while being linked with the increase in a sound volume of audio, and it is not necessary for an operator to manually operate the apparatus. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a recording and reproducing apparatus for recording or reproducing audio and still images as digital data. In particular, the present invention relates to a method of recording audio data and still image data in association with each other.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a technique for recording a still image and sound, there is, for example, Patent Document 1. In order to record an image and a sound in association with each other, there has been a method of recording in a moving image recording format such as MPEG1 (ISO / IEC14772: 1997). The moving image recording format has a feature that the data size is larger than the audio recording format.
[0003]
[Patent Document 1]
JP-A-4-31037 / 1994
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, there is a case where a user wants to record all sounds but a picture is not a moving picture but a still picture as in a conference. In particular, when recording on a semiconductor memory card with a portable terminal or the like, since the capacity of the semiconductor memory card is generally small, it is necessary to reduce the amount of data to be recorded. Difficult to do.
[0005]
Therefore, instead of a moving image recording format such as MPEG1, an audio recording format such as AAC format (MPEG2-AAC ISO / IEC13818-7) or MP3 (MPEG-1 Audio Layer3 ISO / IEC11172-3) and JPEG (ISO / IEC10918-1) are used. : 1994), it is possible to perform long-time recording with a small capacity.
[0006]
However, if the operator manually instructs the shooting timing of a still image, it is necessary to operate the apparatus many times during the meeting, which is complicated.
[0007]
Therefore, the present invention is to provide a device capable of recording for a long time even with a small data capacity when it is desired to record all sounds but still images are sufficient, and in particular, the present invention relates to an increase in the volume of sounds. It is an object of the present invention to perform photographing and record audio and still images without the need for an operator to manually operate.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above problem, a recording device of the present invention is a recording device of audio and still image data for recording digital data on a recording medium, wherein an audio input unit for capturing external audio, and the audio input unit A volume change detection unit that detects an increase in volume of the captured voice, a still image input unit that captures an external video as a still image when a change in volume is detected by the volume change detection unit, and a voice input unit. An audio division unit that divides the captured audio when the volume change detection unit detects an increase in volume, and associates a still image captured by the still image input unit with the audio divided by the audio division unit. And a recording control unit for recording on a recording medium.
[0009]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
[0010]
FIG. 1 shows a configuration of a recording and reproducing apparatus 100 for audio and still image data.
[0011]
The audio / still image data recording / reproducing apparatus 100 includes an audio / still image data recording apparatus 110, an audio / still image data reproducing apparatus 120, and a changeover switch 130.
[0012]
The recording / reproducing apparatus 100 for audio and still image data according to the present invention has three modes: a recording mode, a reproducing mode, and a stop mode.
[0013]
In the recording mode, the recording / reproducing apparatus 100 for audio and still image data captures external audio and still images and records them on the SD memory card 140 as a recording medium.
[0014]
In the reproduction mode, the recording / reproducing apparatus 100 for audio and still image data outputs audio data and still image data recorded on the SD memory card 140 to the outside.
[0015]
In the stop mode, the audio and still image data recording / reproducing apparatus 100 does nothing until the mode is switched to the recording mode or the reproducing mode.
[0016]
The changeover switch 130 is a switch that receives a change of the recording mode, the reproduction mode, and the stop mode by the operator.
[0017]
In the present embodiment, the audio and still image data recording device 110 records audio and still images on the SD memory card 140 as data based on the SD-Audio standard. The SD-Audio standard refers to “SD Memory Card Specifications / Part 4. Audio Specifications” issued by the SD Group in February 2000.
[0018]
Hereinafter, a part related to the present invention in the data structure of the SD-Audio standard will be described with reference to FIG.
[0019]
The SD-Audio standard data includes a track information storage file, up to 999 audio data files, and up to 999 still image data files.
[0020]
The track information file includes a maximum of 999 track information. The track information includes audio data and still image data numbers corresponding to the track. In the example of FIG. 2, the track information # 1 indicates that the track # 1 includes audio data # 1 and still image data # 1. For example, when the track # 1 is reproduced by using an audio and still image data reproducing device described later, the audio data # 1 is reproduced and the still image data # 1 is displayed. Similarly, the track information #i indicates that the track #i includes audio data #i and still image data #i. Here, i is an integer taking 1 ≦ i ≦ 999. In the present embodiment, since the audio data file and the still image data file are created on a one-to-one basis, the numbers of the audio data and the still image data included in the track information #i are always i, but the SD-Audio Since there is no need for the still image data in the standard, only the audio is recorded on the SD memory card 140 using a device that records only the audio as data based on the SD-Audio standard, and then the audio and still image data recording device 110 in the present invention is used. When audio and still images are recorded by using, the numbers of audio data and still image data included in the track information #i are not necessarily i, but even in this case, the audio data and still image data are 1 Create one to one.
[0021]
The audio data file is an audio object of the SD-Audio standard, for example, in an AAC format encrypted based on the CPRM standard. The CPRM standard refers to “Content Protection for Recordable Media Specification SD Memory Card Book” issued by 4C Entity in August 2000.
[0022]
The still image data file is a picture object of the SD-Audio standard, for example, in the JPEG format.
[0023]
3 and 4 show an example of the appearance of the audio and still image data recording / reproducing apparatus 100 according to the present invention. FIG. 4 is a view of the recording / reproducing apparatus 100 for audio and still image data shown in FIG. 3 as viewed from the back. In these figures, a recording / reproducing apparatus 100 for audio and still image data includes a changeover switch 130, a microphone device 200 as an audio input unit, an insertion slot for an SD memory card 140, a camera device 210 as an input unit for still images, and a reproduction device. It has a control button unit 300, a speaker device 310 as an audio output unit, and a display device 320 as a still image output unit. The reproduction control button section 300 includes an upper button, a lower button, a left button, a right button for selecting a track number to be reproduced, and a reproduction button for starting reproduction.
[0024]
FIG. 5 shows the configuration of the recording device 110 for audio and still image data.
[0025]
The audio and still image data recording device 110 includes a microphone device 200, a volume change detection unit 400, an audio encoding unit 410, an audio division unit 420, an audio encryption unit 430, a camera device 210, a still image encoding And a recording control unit 450.
[0026]
The microphone device 200 is hardware that captures external audio 500.
[0027]
The sound volume change detection unit 400 is hardware or software that detects the sound volume of the sound input by the microphone device 200, for example, every 10 milliseconds, and notifies the camera device 210 and the sound division unit 420 of the change. Note that the interval for detecting the volume of the sound is not 10 milliseconds, and it is sufficient that the value is determined.
[0028]
The audio encoding unit 410 is hardware or software that converts audio input by the microphone device 200 into an audio encoding format of the SD-Audio standard such as the AAC format.
[0029]
When the change in the sound volume is detected by the sound volume change detecting unit 400, the sound dividing unit 420 sends the sound data before the detection and the sound data after the detection as different data to the sound encryption unit 430 by hardware or software. is there.
[0030]
The voice encryption unit 430 is hardware or software that encrypts voice data based on the CPRM standard.
[0031]
The camera device 210 is hardware that captures the external scenery 510 as a still image.
[0032]
The still image encoding unit 440 is hardware or software that converts an input still image into a still image encoding format conforming to the SD-Audio standard such as the JPEG format.
[0033]
The recording control unit 450 records the audio data encrypted by the audio encryption unit 430 on the SD memory card 140 as an audio data file, and stores the still image data encoded by the audio encoding unit 410 on the SD memory card 140 It is hardware or software that records as a data file, creates track information, and records it in the track information file of the SD memory card 140.
[0034]
The operation of each unit of the audio and still image data recording device 110 will be described below with reference to FIG.
[0035]
When the operator operates the changeover switch 130 to change to the recording mode, the following processing is started.
[0036]
In step S100, the variable i is set to 1. Note that the value is not always 1 when data is stored in the SD memory card 140 before the start of the process.
[0037]
In step S110, the microphone device 200 starts input. At this point, the input voice is not recorded in the SD memory card 140 yet.
[0038]
In step S120, the process waits until the volume change is detected by the volume change detection unit 400 or the mode change is detected by the operator operating the changeover switch 130. If a change in volume is detected, the process proceeds to step S130, and if a mode change is detected, the process proceeds to step S220.
[0039]
In step S130, recording of the sound input by the microphone device 200 is started. The sound input by the microphone device 200 is encoded by the sound encoding unit 410, encrypted by the sound encryption unit 430, and the recording control unit 450 starts recording in the sound data file #i of the SD memory card 140. .
[0040]
In step S140, the camera device 210 takes in the external scenery 510, encodes it by the still image encoding unit 440, and records it in the still image data file #i of the SD memory card 140 by the recording control unit 450.
[0041]
In step S150, the process waits until a volume change is detected by the volume change detection unit 400 or the mode change is detected by operating the changeover switch 130 by the operator. If a change in volume is detected, the process proceeds to step S160, and if a mode change is detected, the process proceeds to S200.
[0042]
In step S160, the recording destination of the audio data is changed from the audio data file #i to the audio data file # i + 1.
[0043]
In step S170, track information having the audio data number i and the still image data number i is created, and recorded as track information #i in the track information file of the SD memory card 140.
[0044]
In step S180, the camera device 210 captures the external scenery 510, encodes it by the still image encoding unit 440, and records it in the still image data file # i + 1 of the SD memory card 140 by the recording control unit 450.
[0045]
In step S190, 1 is added to the value of the variable i, and the flow shifts to step S150.
[0046]
Step S200 is performed when the mode is changed while the sound is being recorded in the sound data file #i. In step S200, the recording control unit 450 stops recording on the audio data file #i.
[0047]
In step S210, track information is created as in step S170, and recorded on the SD memory card 140.
[0048]
In step S220, the microphone device 200 stops the input, and shifts to the mode changed by the operator using the changeover switch 130.
[0049]
Next, a method of detecting a volume change will be described.
[0050]
The sound volume change detection unit 400 separates the sound input by the microphone device 200 at intervals of 10 milliseconds, and uses the average value over 10 milliseconds for detection. Hereinafter, the average value for 10 milliseconds will be referred to as a sample value. Note that a maximum value may be used instead of the average value.
[0051]
The sound volume change detection unit 400 includes a tilt detection mode and a sound detection mode as detection modes for detecting a change in volume.
[0052]
The tilt detection mode is a mode in which a sample value at a certain point in time is compared with a sample value 10 milliseconds before that, and if the difference exceeds a certain value, it is detected that the volume has changed.
[0053]
The sound detection mode is a mode for detecting that the volume has changed if the sample value at a certain point exceeds a certain value.
[0054]
The volume change detection unit 400 does not detect that the volume has changed for 10 seconds after detecting the change in volume, regardless of the change in the sample value. Hereinafter, this period is referred to as a dead period. The length of the dead period may be determined as long as it is fixed, and may not be 10 seconds.
[0055]
Further, if the sample value changes during the dead period and it has been detected that the sound volume has changed in a period other than the dead period, the sound volume change detecting unit 400 sets 10 seconds as a dead period from that point in time. To extend. By this process, a process of recognizing a period in which the volume changes drastically as one scene collectively and photographing only one still image can be realized.
[0056]
In the present embodiment, volume change detecting section 400 has a tilt detection mode and a sound detection mode, but either one may be used. Further, for example, a sound detection mode may be used in step S120 of FIG. 6 and an inclination detection mode may be used in step S150.
[0057]
FIG. 7 is an example of how a volume change is detected according to a volume change.
[0058]
Hereinafter, an example of the operation of the volume change detection unit 400 in the inclination detection mode will be described with reference to FIG. It is at eight points A, B, C, D, E, F, G, and H that the inclination is determined to be equal to or greater than the predetermined value. Actually, it is determined that the inclination is equal to or more than a certain value immediately after each point. However, since it is clearly within the dead period, it is omitted from FIG.
[0059]
At the point A, the slope becomes equal to or more than a certain value, a change in volume is detected, and a dead period is set. Since point B is within the dead period, only the dead period is extended without detecting a change in volume. The following points C, D, and E are also within the dead period, so that only the dead period is extended and no volume change is detected. Since the point F is after the dead period, a change in volume is detected. Since the points G and H are within the dead period similarly to the point B, only the dead period is extended and the volume change is not detected.
[0060]
FIG. 8 shows a configuration of the audio and still image data reproducing apparatus 120.
[0061]
The audio and still image data reproduction device 120 includes a reproduction control unit 600, an audio decoding unit 610, an audio decoding unit 620, a speaker device 310, a still image decoding unit 630, a display device 320, and a reproduction control button. It comprises a unit 300.
[0062]
The playback control unit 600 reads the AAC-format audio data encrypted based on the CPRM standard and the JPEG-format data associated with the audio data from the SD memory card 140, and converts the encrypted AAC-format audio data. It is software or hardware that outputs to the audio decoding unit 610 and outputs JPEG format data to the still image decoding unit 630.
[0063]
The audio decoding unit 610 is software or hardware that decodes encrypted AAC-format data and converts the data into unencrypted AAC-format data.
[0064]
The audio decoding unit 620 is software or hardware that converts AAC format data into data that can be input to the speaker device 310.
[0065]
The speaker device 310 is hardware that outputs audio data as audio 700 to the outside.
[0066]
The still image decoding unit 630 is software or hardware that converts JPEG format data into data that can be input to the display device 320.
[0067]
The display device 320 is hardware that outputs a still image 710 to the outside.
[0068]
The playback control button unit 300 is hardware for an operator to select a track number to be played back, and as shown in FIG. 4, an up button, a down button, a left button, a right button, and playback start. To play.
[0069]
FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a reproduction procedure when the track information file includes nine pieces of track information from track information # 1 to track information # 9.
[0070]
FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an image output to the display device 320 in the reproduction mode.
[0071]
Hereinafter, an example of an audio / still image reproduction method by the audio / still image data reproduction apparatus 120 will be described with reference to FIGS. 9 and 10.
[0072]
The process in FIG. 9 is performed when the operator operates the changeover switch 130 to change the mode to the reproduction mode.
[0073]
In step S300, the reproduction control device 310 reads a track information file from the SD memory card 140.
[0074]
In step S310, i is set to 1. i is a variable indicating the selected track number.
[0075]
In step S320, the reproduction control device 310 refers to the track information read in step S300 and stores the still image data file indicated by the still image number included in the track information # 1 to track information # 9 in the SD memory card 140. Read from.
[0076]
In step S330, the nine still image data read in step S320 are decoded by the still image decoding unit 630 and displayed on the display device 320. Further, a cursor is displayed around the still image displayed on the display device 320 to indicate to the operator that the image is currently selected. For example, when i is 1, the cursor is displayed at the position of FIG. 10A, when i is 2, the cursor is displayed at the position of FIG. 10B, and when i is 4, the cursor is displayed at FIG. The cursor is displayed at the position of ().
[0077]
In step S340, it is checked whether the operator has operated the changeover switch 130 to change the current mode. If the mode is not changed and the reproduction mode is maintained, the process proceeds to step S350, and if the mode is changed, the process proceeds to step S400.
[0078]
In step S350, if the audio data is currently being reproduced, it is checked whether the reproduction of the audio data has been completed. After the mode is changed to the play mode, the sound data is not played before the play button is pressed, and in that case, the process proceeds to step S360. If the reproduction of the audio data has been completed, the process proceeds to step S380, and if not completed, the process proceeds to step S360. For example, if the audio data is being reproduced for three minutes, the process proceeds to step S380 when three minutes have elapsed, and to step S360 until that time.
[0079]
In step S360, it is determined whether the operator has pressed the button of the reproduction control button unit 300. If the button has not been pressed, the process proceeds to step S340. When the play button is pressed, the process proceeds to a step S390, and when any of the up button, the down button, the left button, and the right button is pressed, the process proceeds to a step S370.
[0080]
In step S370, the value of the selected track number i is changed by the button pressed in step S360. When the left button is pressed, the value of i is decreased by one, and when the right button is pressed, the value of i is increased by one. When the up button is pressed, the value of i is reduced by 3 so that the cursor moves up by one line. When the down button is pressed, the value of i is reduced by 3 so that the cursor moves down by one line. increase.
[0081]
Step S380 is executed when the reproduction of the audio data ends. In step S380, 1 is added to the value of i so that the next audio data is reproduced.
[0082]
In step S390, the reproduction control device 310 reads the audio data indicated by the track information #i. Since the audio data is encrypted, the audio data is decoded by the audio decoding unit 610, decoded by the audio decoding unit 620, and output as external audio 700 by the speaker device.
[0083]
Step S400 is performed when the mode is changed. If there is audio data being reproduced in step S400, the reproduction is stopped.
[0084]
FIGS. 9 and 10 are diagrams showing a case where the track information file recorded on the SD memory card 140 has nine pieces of track information. If there is more than ten pieces of track information, for example, if the cursor comes to the bottom line, Alternatively, scroll processing may be performed such that the still image data file indicated by the next three track information is read, the whole is moved up by one line, and three still images are displayed at the bottom line. The number of images to be displayed at one time is not limited to 9, but may be, for example, 16 in 4 rows and 4 columns, or another number. Further, the number of images to be displayed at one time may be changed according to the number of track information and the size of the image. The number of images to be displayed at one time may be changed by operating the button by the operator.
[0085]
In this embodiment, the audio is recorded in the AAC format, but the audio may be recorded in the MP3 format or WMA (Windows (R) Media Audio) format.
[0086]
Further, in the present embodiment, data is recorded as data based on the SD-Audio standard. However, the present invention is not limited to the SD-Audio standard, and any method capable of recording audio and still images in association with each other may be used. In that case, the voice encryption unit 430 and the voice decryption unit 610 may not be provided. The SD memory card 140 need not be an SD memory card, but may be any recordable medium such as a semiconductor memory card or a hard disk device.
[0087]
【The invention's effect】
Since the still image and audio data recording device according to the present invention records only the still image and the audio on the semiconductor memory card, the recording can be performed for a longer time than the moving image.
[0088]
In addition, the feature is that shooting is automatically performed when the input volume increases, so, for example, when recording the state of a meeting, the operator operates a switch at the start of the meeting to set the recording mode, and the operation ends. Sometimes, only in the stop mode, the photographing is automatically performed when the conference participant utters, and the operator's hand is not bothered.
[0089]
Since the still image and audio data reproducing apparatus according to the present invention records an image and audio from the time when the image is captured until the next image is captured as one content, when the audio is reproduced later, what scene The operator can understand the voice uttered by the user.
[0090]
In addition, a list of images is displayed, and when an operator selects an arbitrary image from the list, the sound associated with the selected image can be reproduced. When the operator wants to remember what he was talking to while standing in front, a person selects an image standing in front of the whiteboard and then presses the sound playback button for a long time. It is possible to easily find the part that the user wants to listen to from the audio data and listen to it.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a recording / reproducing apparatus for audio and still image data according to the present invention; FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration of a portion related to the present invention in a data structure of the SD-Audio standard; FIG. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of the appearance of the audio / still image data recording / reproducing apparatus according to the invention. FIG. 4 is a view of the audio / still image data recording / reproducing apparatus shown in FIG. 3 as viewed from the back. FIG. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the audio and still image data recording device shown in FIG. 5; FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the audio and still image data recording device shown in FIG. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of a device for reproducing audio and still image data according to the present invention. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of the operation of the device for reproducing audio and still image data shown in FIG. Flow chart [Figure 10] Figure Figure [EXPLANATION OF SYMBOLS] showing an image to be output to the display device of the reproduction apparatus of the audio and still picture data shown in
REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 100 audio / still image data recording / reproducing device 110 audio / still image data recording device 120 audio / still image data reproducing device 130 changeover switch 140 SD memory card 200 microphone device 210 camera device 300 reproduction control button section 310 speaker device 320 Display device 400 Volume change detection unit 410 Audio encoding unit 420 Audio division unit 430 Audio encryption unit 440 Still image encoding unit 450 Recording control unit 500 Audio 510 Scenery 600 Playback control unit 610 Audio decoding unit 620 Audio decoding unit 630 Still image decoding Part 700 sound 710 still image

Claims (4)

An audio and still image data recording device for recording digital data on a recording medium,
An audio input unit for capturing external audio,
A volume change detection unit that detects a volume increase of the voice captured by the voice input unit,
A still image input unit that captures an external video as a still image when a change in volume is detected by the volume change detection unit,
An audio dividing unit that divides the audio captured by the audio input unit when the volume change detection unit detects an increase in volume,
A recording control unit that records the still image captured by the still image input unit and the audio divided by the audio division unit on a recording medium in association with each other;
A recording device for audio and still image data, comprising: An audio encoding unit that encodes the audio captured by the audio input unit;
A still image encoding unit that encodes a still image captured by the still image input unit,
The audio division unit divides the audio data encoded by the audio encoding unit,
2. The recording of audio and still image data according to claim 1, wherein the recording control unit associates the audio data divided by the audio division unit with the still image data encoded by the still image encoding unit and records the data on a recording medium. apparatus. The recording control unit records audio as an audio object conforming to the SD-Audio standard, records still image data as a picture object conforming to the SD-Audio standard, and associates audio data with still image data according to the SD-Audio standard. 3. The audio and still image data recording device according to claim 2, wherein the recording device records the track information as track information conforming to the standard. The audio and still image data recording device further comprises:
A playback control button for selecting audio and still images to be output to the outside,
A playback control unit that reads the audio and still image selected by the playback control button unit from a recording medium,
A still image output unit that outputs a still image read by the playback control unit to the outside,
An audio output unit that outputs the audio read by the reproduction control unit to the outside,
The audio and still image data recording device according to claim 1, further comprising:

Images