JP2010093407A - Imaging apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reproduce a target video effect in a prerecording mode even in an incompatible reproducer. <P>SOLUTION: A photographing image by an imaging element 14 is stored for a fixed time in a precedent image memory 20b via a camera signal processor 16 and a compressing/extending device 18 by starting the prerecording mode. When an operation device 34 indicates a recording start, a video effect generation processor 22 performs fading processing to the precedent image data in the precedent image memory 20b. The compressing/extending device 18 successively compresses and encodes the faded precedent image data. The obtained compression image data is recorded in a recording medium 26. Photographing image data after the recording start indication is temporarily stored in an image memory 20a, compressed by the compressing/extending device 18, and recorded in the recording medium 26. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an imaging apparatus that records a captured image on a recording medium.

  The conventional moving image imaging device displays a subject image by the imaging unit on a monitor screen in a shooting standby state, and records the subject image by the imaging unit on a recording medium in response to an instruction to start recording by the photographer. .

  In Patent Literature 1, subject images up to a predetermined amount of data are stored in a memory in advance in a shooting standby state, and subject images and the like in the memory and the shot images after the recording start instruction are stored in accordance with a recording start instruction. An imaging device for recording on a recording medium is described. Such a function for recording a photographed image before a recording start instruction is called a pre-recording function.

Patent Document 2 describes a recording apparatus that records on a recording medium by adding a preceding image signal before a recording start instruction and a subsequent image signal after a recording end instruction to an original image signal from a recording start instruction to a recording end instruction. Has been. With this configuration, a video effect can be given to the joint portion afterwards without affecting the intended original image signal. For example, a scene change effect such as cross-fading is applied afterwards using the subsequent image signal of the previously recorded moving image and the preceding image signal of the subsequently recorded moving image.
JP 2000-011541 A JP 2002-232834 A

  The conventional technology is based on the premise that a desired video effect is given on the playback device side, and it is necessary to use a dedicated playback device corresponding to the processing on the recording device side. For example, when applying a fade-in process to an image recorded in the pre-recording mode, if the fade-in according to the length of the preceding image is not applied, the video is displayed from an unintended place and becomes a strange playback video. .

  It is an object of the present invention to provide an imaging apparatus that can avoid such inconveniences.

  In order to achieve the above object, an imaging apparatus according to the present invention includes an imaging unit, an instruction unit for instructing recording start, a recording medium, and an image captured by the imaging unit before a recording start instruction by the instruction unit. In response to the work memory to be stored as a preceding image and the recording start instruction, the preceding image in the work memory is recorded on the recording medium, and the image taken by the imaging unit after the recording start instruction is recorded on the recording medium. An image pickup apparatus comprising a control unit for recording, wherein image effect generation processing means for applying a video effect to the preceding image before recording on the recording medium is provided.

  According to the present invention, a video effect such as fading is applied to the preceding image stored before the recording start instruction, and the image is recorded on the recording medium together with the originally intended captured image. Thereby, it is not necessary to provide a video effect on the playback device side, and it is possible to deal with many playback devices.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 shows a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of an imaging apparatus according to the present invention. The photographing lens 12 of the imaging device 10 forms an object optical image on the imaging element 14. The image sensor 14 converts an optical image from the photographing lens 12 into an electric image signal. The camera signal processing device 16 converts an analog image signal output from the image sensor 14 into a digital signal, and then performs known camera signal processing such as signal level adjustment, pixel interpolation, and color conversion in a video camera.

  The compression / decompression device 18 temporarily stores the image data from the camera signal processing device 16 in the temporary storage or work memory 20 for compression or encoding, and expands the compressed image data read from the recording medium described later. Or decrypt.

  The work memory 20 includes an image memory 20a, a preceding image memory 20b, and a compressed image memory 20c. The image memory 20a temporarily stores the image data from the camera signal processing device 16 for compression processing, and temporarily stores the image data (reproduced image data) decompressed by the compression / decompression device 18. The image memory 20a is also used for temporarily storing subsequent images in the pre-recording mode. The preceding image memory 20b stores the preceding image data for the predetermined time in the pre-recording mode. The portion exceeding the predetermined time is erased from the preceding image memory 20b. Such a preceding image memory 20b can be easily realized by using a known ring buffer. The compressed image memory 20c stores the compressed image data compressed by the compression / decompression device 18 in the recording mode (including the pre-recording mode), and stores the compressed image data read from the recording medium described later during reproduction. .

  The video effect generation processing device 22 applies the video effect instructed by the user to the image data stored in the work memory 20 in the pre-recording mode. The video effect here is a fade-in for the preceding image, a fade-out for the subsequent image, or both.

  The recording medium interface 24 writes the data to the recording medium 26 that records the compressed image data from the compressed image memory 20c and the management data from the system control device 32 in a nonvolatile manner. The recording medium interface 24 reads data recorded on the recording medium 26, writes the compressed image data to the compressed image memory 20 c, and supplies management data to the system control device 32. The recording medium 26 includes, for example, a magnetic tape, a recordable optical disk, a magneto-optical disk, a hard disk, or a semiconductor memory.

  The compression / decompression device 18 also has a function of reducing the size of the image data and the reproduced image data from the camera signal processing device 16 for monitor display. The display control device 28 causes the display device 30 to display an image according to the image data reduced in size for monitoring from the compression / decompression device 18. In the recording mode, the display device functions as a finder for observing the composition of the subject, and in the playback mode, it serves as a monitor for the playback image. The display control device 28 also causes the display device 30 to display various menu screens from the system control device 32.

  The system control device 32 controls the entire imaging device 10 in accordance with a user instruction using the operation device 34. In particular, the operation device 34 includes a mode switch for designating an operation mode such as a recording mode (normal recording mode or pre-recording mode) and a reproduction mode, and a release switch for instructing recording start / end in the recording mode. The operation device 34 further includes a power switch, a photo key, various reproduction operation keys for instructing a reproduction operation in the reproduction mode, and the like. The recording mode also includes a normal recording mode for recording only the target image, and a pre-recording mode for recording the preceding image before the target image and recording the subsequent image after the target image.

  The operation of the present embodiment for performing recording by adding a fade process to the preceding image in the pre-recording mode will be described. FIG. 2 shows the flowchart. In this operation example, the subsequent image after the operation of the recording end instruction is not recorded.

  Assume that the power switch is turned on and the user sets the pre-recording mode with the mode switch. When the operation in the pre-recording mode is started (S1), an image captured by the image sensor 14 is written into the preceding image memory 20b via the camera signal processing device 16 and the compression / decompression device 18 (S2). However, the preceding image memory 20b stores only the preceding image data for a certain time, and the preceding image data older than the certain time is erased from the preceding image memory 20b. Then, the user waits for an instruction to start recording (S3).

  When the user inputs a recording start operation (S3), the preceding image is faded and recorded on the recording medium 26 (S4, S5, S6). The preceding image may be one or more still images.

  Specifically, the video effect generation processing device 22 sequentially reads the preceding image data from the preceding image memory 20b, applies a fade process, and writes it back to the preceding image memory 20b. The compression / decompression device 18 sequentially compresses and encodes the preceding image data subjected to the fade process in the preceding image memory 20b. The obtained compressed image data is recorded on the recording medium 26 via the compressed image memory 20c and the recording medium interface 24. The image data of the photographed image is accumulated in the image memory 20a until the preceding image data is fade-processed and compression-encoded and recorded on the recording medium 26.

  Original image data stored in the image memory 20a between the fade processing and recording of the preceding image data is compressed and encoded by the compression / decompression device 18 and recorded on the recording medium 26 (S7). That is, the compression / decompression device 18 sequentially reads out the image data (original image data) stored in the image memory 20a after the operation of the recording start instruction, performs compression encoding, and compresses the obtained compressed image data into the compressed image memory 20c. Write to. The compressed image data in the compressed image memory 20 c is sequentially read and recorded on the recording medium 26 via the recording medium interface 24. Also during this time, the image data of the photographed image is accumulated in the image memory 20a.

  In response to the user's operation for instructing recording (S8), the process of recording the captured image on the recording medium 26 is terminated. More precisely, if there is an unrecorded portion when operating the recording end instruction, the operation of the pre-recording mode ends after waiting for the compression and recording processing to end, and if there is no unrecorded portion, the pre-recording is immediately performed. End mode operation. Immediately after the preceding image data recording process is completed, the original image data compression and recording process is delayed from the time of shooting. However, if a certain amount of time has elapsed since the start of recording, the captured image data can be compressed and recorded in real time. Therefore, if the photographing time is equal to or longer than a certain value, the recording operation can be ended immediately in response to an operation of a recording end instruction.

  Although the case where the fade process is applied to the preceding image has been described, a video effect other than the fade process may be provided.

  When the subsequent image data for a predetermined time is continuously recorded in the original image, the captured image data for the time determined as the subsequent image data is compressed and recorded in the recording medium 26 after the original image is recorded. When fading processing is performed on the subsequent image data, the video effect generation processing device 22 performs fading processing on the subsequent image before compression.

  FIG. 3 shows another operation flowchart in the pre-recording mode of the imaging apparatus shown in FIG. This embodiment is different from FIG. 2 in that the preceding image data is compression-encoded and a certain amount of time is accumulated.

  Assume that the power switch is turned on and the user sets the pre-recording mode with the mode switch.

  When the operation in the pre-recording mode is started (S11), the compression / decompression device 18 compresses and encodes the image captured by the image sensor 14 and the camera signal processing device 16 (S12). Then, the compressed image data is stored in the compressed image memory 20c (S13). The compressed image memory 20c stores the compressed data of the preceding image data for a certain time, and the compressed image data older than the certain time is deleted from the compressed image memory 20c. Then, the user waits for an instruction to start recording (S14). The preceding image may be one or more still images.

  When an operation to start recording by the user is input (S14), the compression / decompression device 18 reads the compressed image data of the preceding image from the compressed image memory 20c and decodes (decompresses) (S16). The image data restored by decompression is written into the preceding image memory 20b. The video effect generation processing device 22 sequentially reads the preceding image data from the preceding image memory 20b, applies a fade process, and writes it back to the preceding image memory 20b (S16). The compression / decompression device 18 sequentially compresses and encodes the preceding image data subjected to the fade process in the preceding image memory 20b (S17). The obtained compressed image data is stored in the compressed image memory 20c in preparation for recording on the recording medium 26 (S18).

  The image data (original image data) of the image taken after the operation of the recording start instruction is stored in the image memory 20a through the compression / decompression device 18 in parallel with the above processing of the compressed data of the preceding image. The compression / decompression device 18 performs compression coding on the image data in the image memory 20a by sewing between the expansion and compression of the preceding image (S19). The compressed image data is stored in the compressed image memory 20c in preparation for recording on the recording medium 26 (S20).

  Steps S15 to S20 are repeated until the fade processing of the preceding image is completed (S21). When the fade processing of the preceding image is completed (S21), the preceding image data that has been faded and compressed is read from the compressed image memory 20c and recorded on the recording medium 26 (S22). The compressed original image data is also read from the compressed image memory 20c and recorded on the recording medium 26.

  The image data (original image data) stored in the image memory 20a waiting for processing is sequentially read out and compressed and encoded, and the obtained compressed image data is written into the compressed image memory 20c (S23). The compressed image data in the compressed image memory 20c is sequentially read and recorded on the recording medium 26 via the recording medium interface 24 (S24). Also during this time, the image data of the photographed image is accumulated in the image memory 20a.

  In response to the user's operation for instructing recording (S25), the process of recording the captured image on the recording medium 26 is terminated. More precisely, if there is an unrecorded portion when operating the recording end instruction, the operation of the pre-recording mode ends after waiting for the compression and recording processing to end, and if there is no unrecorded portion, the pre-recording is immediately performed. End mode operation. Immediately after the preceding image data recording process is completed, the original image data compression and recording process is delayed from the time of shooting. However, if a certain amount of time has elapsed since the start of recording, the captured image data can be compressed and recorded in real time. Therefore, if the photographing time is equal to or longer than a certain value, the recording operation can be ended immediately in response to an operation of a recording end instruction.

  Although the case where the fade process is applied to the preceding image has been described, a video effect other than the fade process may be provided.

  In the case where the subsequent image data for a certain time is continuously recorded in the original image, the captured image data for the time determined as the subsequent image data is compressed and recorded in the recording medium 26 after the original image is recorded. When fading processing is performed on the subsequent image data, the video effect generation processing device 22 performs fading processing on the subsequent image before compression.

  FIG. 6 is a timing chart when a fade process is applied to image data for 3 seconds before the shooting start instruction and image data for 2 seconds after the shooting start instruction. The horizontal axis indicates time, and the vertical axis indicates the strength of the fade effect.

  FIG. 4 shows a third operation flowchart in the pre-recording mode of the imaging apparatus shown in FIG. In this embodiment, the preceding image data is stored in the RAW data format, and an operation of recording by adding a fade process and an operation of simply recording the preceding image can be selected.

  Assume that the power switch is turned on and the user sets the pre-recording mode with the mode switch.

  When the operation in the pre-recording mode is started (S31), it is checked whether the fade setting is on or off (S32). As shown in FIG. 7, a control signal indicating ON / OFF of the fade setting is supplied from the system control device 32 to the compression / decompression device 18. When the fade setting is on, the compression / decompression device 18 validates the encoding process for the preceding image. When the fade setting is off, the compression / decompression device 18 invalidates the encoding process for the preceding image and passes through the successful image data.

  When the fade setting is ON (S32), the camera signal processing device 16 generates so-called RAW image data or RAW data from the output image signal of the image sensor 14 (S33). The compression / decompression device 18 stores the RAW image data in the preceding image memory 20b (S34). The preceding image memory 20b stores the RAW data of the preceding image for a certain time, and the RAW data older than the certain time is deleted from the preceding image memory 20b. Then, the user waits for an instruction to start recording (S35). The preceding image may be one or more still images.

  When an operation for starting recording by the user is input (S35), the video effect generation processing device 22 sequentially reads out the RAW data from the preceding image memory 20b, performs a fade process, and writes it back to the preceding image memory 20b (S36). The compression / decompression device 18 sequentially compresses and encodes the RAW data of the preceding image subjected to the fade process in the preceding image memory 20b (S37). The obtained compressed image data is stored in the compressed image memory 20c in preparation for recording on the recording medium 26 (S38).

  Image data (original image data) of an image taken after an operation of a recording start instruction is stored in the image memory 20a through the compression / decompression device 18 in parallel with the above processing of the RAW data of the preceding image. The compression / expansion device 18 performs compression encoding of the image data in the image memory 20a by sewing between the expansion and compression of the preceding image (S39). The compressed image data is stored in the compressed image memory 20c in preparation for recording on the recording medium 26 (S40).

  Steps S36 to S40 are repeated until the fade processing of the preceding image is completed (S41). When the fade processing of the preceding image is completed (S41), the preceding image data that has been faded and compressed is read from the compressed image memory 20c and recorded on the recording medium 26 (S42). The compressed original image data is also read from the compressed image memory 20c and recorded on the recording medium 26.

  The image data (original image data) stored in the image memory 20a waiting for processing is sequentially read out and encoded, and the obtained compressed image data is written into the compressed image memory 20c (S43). The compressed image data in the compressed image memory 20c is sequentially read and recorded on the recording medium 26 via the recording medium interface 24 (S44). Also during this time, the image data of the photographed image is accumulated in the image memory 20a.

  In response to the user's operation for instructing recording (S45), the process of recording the captured image on the recording medium 26 is terminated. More precisely, if there is an unrecorded portion when operating the recording end instruction, the operation of the pre-recording mode ends after waiting for the compression and recording processing to end, and if there is no unrecorded portion, the pre-recording is immediately performed. End mode operation. Immediately after the preceding image data recording process is completed, the original image data compression and recording process is delayed from the time of shooting. However, if a certain amount of time has elapsed since the start of recording, the captured image data can be compressed and recorded in real time. Therefore, if the photographing time is equal to or longer than a certain value, the recording operation can be ended immediately in response to an operation of a recording end instruction.

  When the fade setting is off (S32), the same processing as steps S12 and S13 in FIG. 3 is executed. That is, the compression / decompression device 18 compresses and encodes the image captured by the image sensor 14 and the camera signal processing device 16 (S46). Then, the compressed image data is stored in the compressed image memory 20c (S47). The compressed image memory 20c stores the compressed data of the preceding image data for a certain time, and the compressed image data older than the certain time is deleted from the compressed image memory 20c. Then, the user waits for an instruction to start recording (S48). Also at this time, the preceding image may be one or a plurality of still images. When there is an instruction to start recording by the user (S48), steps S42 and after are executed.

  Although the case where the fade process is applied to the preceding image has been described, a video effect other than the fade process may be provided.

  In the case where the subsequent image data for a certain time is continuously recorded in the original image, the captured image data for the time determined as the subsequent image data is compressed and recorded in the recording medium 26 after the original image is recorded. When fading processing is performed on the subsequent image data, the video effect generation processing device 22 performs fading processing on the subsequent image before compression.

  Since the preceding image data is stored as RAW data, decompression processing before video effect processing such as fade processing can be omitted, and the system processing load can be reduced.

  FIG. 5 shows a fourth operation flowchart in the pre-recording mode of the imaging apparatus shown in FIG. In this embodiment, the strength of the video effect is automatically controlled so as to complete the video effect such as fade processing on the preceding image.

  Assume that the power switch is turned on and the user sets the pre-recording mode with the mode switch.

  When the operation in the pre-recording mode is started (S51), the compression / decompression device 18 compresses and encodes the image captured by the image sensor 14 and the camera signal processing device 16 (S52). The obtained compressed image data is stored in the compressed image memory 20c (S53). The compressed image memory 20c stores the compressed data of the preceding image data for a certain time, and the compressed image data older than the certain time is deleted from the compressed image memory 20c. Then, the user waits for an instruction to start recording (S54). The preceding image may be one or more still images.

  When the user inputs a recording start operation with designation of the preceding image period t1 (S14), the compression / decompression apparatus 18 reads out the compressed image data of the preceding image of the designated period t1 from the compressed image memory 20c and decodes it (S16). ). The image data restored by decompression is written into the preceding image memory 20b. First, the video effect generation processing device 22 sequentially reads the preceding image data from the preceding image memory 20b, and calculates a fade level at which the fade processing is completed at the end of the preceding image (S56). Then, the video effect generation processing device 22 performs a fade process on the preceding image data at the calculated fade level, and writes it back to the preceding image memory 20b (S57). The compression / decompression device 18 sequentially compresses and encodes the preceding image data subjected to the fade process in the preceding image memory 20b (S58). The obtained compressed image data is stored in the compressed image memory 20c in preparation for recording on the recording medium 26 (S59).

  Image data (original image data) of an image taken after an operation of a recording start instruction passes through the compression / decompression device 18 and is stored in the image memory 20a in parallel with the above processing of the preceding image. The compression / decompression device 18 performs compression encoding of the image data in the image memory 20a by sewing between the expansion and compression of the preceding image (S60). The compressed image data is stored in the compressed image memory 20c in preparation for recording on the recording medium 26 (S61).

  Steps S55 to S61 are repeated until the fade processing of the preceding image is completed (S62). When the fade processing of the preceding image is completed (S62), the preceding image data that has been faded and compressed is read from the compressed image memory 20c and recorded on the recording medium 26 (S63). The compressed original image data is also read from the compressed image memory 20c and recorded on the recording medium 26.

  The image data (original image data) stored in the image memory 20a waiting for processing is sequentially read out and compressed and encoded, and the obtained compressed image data is written into the compressed image memory 20c (S64). The compressed image data in the compressed image memory 20c is sequentially read and recorded on the recording medium 26 via the recording medium interface 24 (S65). Also during this time, the image data of the photographed image is accumulated in the image memory 20a.

  In response to the user's operation for instructing recording (S66), the process of recording the captured image on the recording medium 26 is terminated. More precisely, if there is an unrecorded portion when operating the recording end instruction, the operation of the pre-recording mode ends after waiting for the compression and recording processing to end, and if there is no unrecorded portion, the pre-recording is immediately performed. End mode operation. Immediately after the preceding image data recording process is completed, the original image data compression and recording process is delayed from the time of shooting. However, if a certain amount of time has elapsed since the start of recording, the captured image data can be compressed and recorded in real time. Therefore, if the photographing time is equal to or longer than a certain value, the recording operation can be ended immediately in response to an operation of a recording end instruction.

  Although the case where the fade process is applied to the preceding image has been described, a video effect other than the fade process may be provided. Examples of the video effect include conversion of a color image into a monochrome image and conversion into a sepia color.

  In the case where the subsequent image data for a certain time is continuously recorded in the original image, the captured image data for the time determined as the subsequent image data is compressed and recorded in the recording medium 26 after the original image is recorded. When fading processing is performed on the subsequent image data, the video effect generation processing device 22 performs fading processing on the subsequent image before compression.

  FIG. 8 shows a sequence example according to the flow shown in FIG. The horizontal axis indicates time, and the vertical axis indicates the fade level.

  Multiple memory accesses to the work memory 20 can be parallelized. Further, the operations of the compression / decompression device 18 and the video effect generation processing device 22 and the writing processing to the recording medium 26 via the recording medium interface 24 can also be parallelized. A configuration using such a parallel operation can also be included in the technical scope of the present invention.

1 is a block diagram of a schematic configuration of an embodiment of an imaging apparatus according to the present invention. It is a 1st operation | movement flowchart. It is a 2nd operation | movement flowchart. It is a 3rd operation | movement flowchart. It is a 4th operation | movement flowchart. It is an example of the time change of the fade level in the operation | movement flow shown in FIG. FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating functions of a compression / decompression device 18 corresponding to the operation flow shown in FIG. 4. FIG. 6 is a time change example of a fade level in the operation flow shown in FIG. 5. FIG.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Imaging device 12 Shooting lens 14 Imaging element 16 Camera signal processing device 18 Compression / decompression device 20 Work memory 20a Image memory 20b Preceding image memory 20c Compression image memory 22 Video effect generation processing device 24 Recording medium interface 26 Recording medium 28 Display control device 30 Display device 32 System control device 34 Operating device

Claims (4)

Imaging means;
An instruction means for instructing the start of recording;
A recording medium;
A work memory for storing a captured image by the imaging unit as a preceding image before a recording start instruction by the instruction unit;
In accordance with the recording start instruction, the control unit causes the preceding image in the work memory to be recorded on the recording medium, and a photographed image by the imaging unit after the recording start instruction is recorded on the recording medium. A device,
An image pickup apparatus comprising: a video effect generation processing unit that applies a video effect to the preceding image before recording on the recording medium. Furthermore, it comprises a compression means for compressing and encoding image data,
2. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit causes the compression unit to compress and encode image data recorded on the recording medium before recording on the recording medium.   The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the preceding image includes RAW data. Furthermore,
Compression means for compressing and encoding a photographed image by the imaging means before the recording start instruction by the instruction means, and storing the compressed image data in the work memory as the preceding image;
In response to a recording start instruction from the instruction means, and decompressing means for decompressing the compressed image data of the preceding image in the work memory,
The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the video effect generation processing unit applies the video effect to the preceding image expanded by the expansion unit.

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