JP3344959B2 - Image display device and electronic camera system - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to an image display device externally connected to an electronic camera device and an electronic camera system including the image display device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In general, almost all electronic camera devices have a display unit using a liquid crystal panel.
This display unit is used as a reproduction display unit for reading and reproducing an image already recorded on a recording medium, or as an electronic viewfinder for displaying a subject image projected on an image sensor at that time.

[0003]

However, the display quality of the display unit described above is significantly lower than the display quality of image data obtained by the image pickup device. For example, if the CCD, which is an image sensor, has a configuration of one million pixels, while the liquid crystal display panel has a configuration of only about 100,000 pixels, even if it is simply converted, the captured image data is reduced by 1 / 10
There is no choice but to display it in some degree. Therefore, it has been difficult to confirm the detailed contents of the captured image data, for example, the state of exposure, focusing, white balance, and the like, using a display unit provided in the electronic camera device.

[0004] Further, the electronic camera device is connected to a data processing device such as a personal computer, and the detailed content of the image data captured is displayed and confirmed on a large display unit connected to the data processing device. It is a common practice to edit captured image data using application software for applications, but it is not practical to handle an electronic camera device while a data processing device is connected when capturing an image. As a result, it was not possible to easily confirm the content of the captured image at the time of imaging.

An object of the present invention is to enable the user to immediately check the content of image data obtained by imaging or the result of simple correction of the image data, and utilize the result for the next imaging. An image display device and an electronic camera system are provided.

[0006]

Means for Solving the Problems [Configuration] The present invention is configured as follows to achieve the above object.

(1) The present invention (Claim 1) provides an attaching / detaching mechanism provided on a housing, provided on the housing, and detachable from the housing of the electronic camera device, and picking up images with the electronic camera device. Receiving means for receiving the image data and the image processing instruction information obtained by the method, a storage means for storing the image data received by the receiving means, and a display panel for displaying an image corresponding to the image data stored by the storage means And image processing means for converting image data stored in the storage means in accordance with the image processing instruction information received by the reception means and writing the converted data in the storage means.

A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described below.

[0009] A touch panel is integrally provided on the display surface of the display panel, and the image processing means reads out image data of a region including a portion designated by operation of the touch panel from the storage means, and reads the read image data. Is enlarged and displayed on the display panel.

The image processing means displays an image corresponding to the converted and rewritten image data and information based on the image processing instruction information received by the receiving means on the display panel.

[0011] The receiving means receives an infrared signal from the electronic camera device.

The image processing instruction information includes at least one of exposure correction information and white balance change information.

(2) An electronic camera system according to the present invention (claim 6) is provided with an electronic camera device having transmission means for transmitting captured image data and image processing instruction information, and an electronic camera device provided in a housing. An attaching / detaching mechanism detachable from the housing, receiving means for receiving data captured by the electronic camera device and image processing instruction information, storage means for storing image data received by the receiving means, and storage means A display panel for displaying an image corresponding to the image data stored by the means, and an image to be written to the storage means by converting the image data stored in the storage means in accordance with the image processing instruction information received by the receiving means Processing means, and a power supply unit mounted on the bottom surface of the electronic camera device and supplying power to the electronic camera device and the image display device. And butterflies.

[0014]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an external appearance of an electronic camera system according to an embodiment of the present invention from the back. This system includes an electronic camera device 100, an external image display device 200, a battery pack 300, and an external strobe 400.
It is composed of The battery pack 300 is mounted on the bottom of the electronic camera device 100. Since the battery pack 300 is heavy, the electronic camera 100
Good balance when held by attaching to the bottom of the

The electronic camera device 100 includes an optical finder 101, a release switch 102, and a liquid crystal panel such as an electronic camera.
VF (Electric View Finder) 103 and infrared (I
r) An emission window 104 is provided.

The external image display device 200 includes a power switch 201, an attaching / detaching mechanism 202 detachable from the electronic camera device 100, a display LCD 203, and a display LCD 2.
03, a touch panel 204 integrally provided on the surface of
Infrared (I) receiving infrared from Ir emission window 104
r) A light receiving window 205 is provided. In this device, since the installation location of the display device 200 with respect to the electronic camera device 100 is determined, data is transmitted and received using infrared rays. If the infrared ray arrives and the data can be exchanged, the external image display device 200 is connected to the electronic camera device 100.
You may remove it from. In this case, the external image display device 200 can be used integrally with the battery pack 300 and a stand (not shown).

The battery pack 300 is mounted on the bottom of the electronic camera device 100, supplies power to the electronic camera device 100 via a connector (not shown), and supplies an external image display device via a power supply cord 301. 20
0 is supplied with power.

Next, the configuration of the electronic camera device 100 will be described. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the electronic camera device 100 of FIG. The present electronic camera device 10
Reference numeral 0 denotes a camera body 110 and an interchangeable lens 140.

The interchangeable lens 140 is provided with a lens ROM 141 storing lens information and the like, and the lens information is transmitted to a system controller 111 provided in the camera body 110. Further, a motor 142 for driving the image lens 143 in response to a command signal from the system controller 111 is provided.

Next, the configuration of the camera body 110 will be described. A / D for converting image data (analog signal) captured by the CCD 112 into digital image data
The conversion unit 113 is connected. A / D converter 113
And a DRAM that stores image data via an image processing unit 114 that performs image processing on the converted image data.
115 are connected. The DRAM 115 is connected to an encoding unit 116 for compressing and encoding image data and a display processing unit 117 for performing display processing on the image data.

The encoding unit 116 is connected to a buffer memory 118 for temporarily storing encoded image data. The buffer memory 118 includes the circuit switcher 11
9, an Ir communication circuit 120 for converting image data into an Ir communication format, and a memory communication circuit 122 for converting image data into a memory writing format.
Is connected. The Ir communication circuit 120 is connected with an LED 121 that emits infrared light in accordance with the converted signal. Also, the memory communication circuit 122 has a recording medium C connected via a card slot 123.
An F (Compact Flash) card 124 is connected, and the converted image data is recorded on the CF card 124. In addition to the CF card, another memory card, a rotating disk medium, or the like may be used as a recording medium.

The display processing unit 117 is connected to a VRAM 125 for storing processed image data. The VRAM 125 has an EVF1 via a switch.
03 is connected.

The image processing unit 114 and the encoding unit 11
6, the circuit switch 119, the Ir communication circuit 120 and the memory communication circuit 122 are connected to the system controller 111,
Its operation is controlled. Further, the release switch 102, operation input means 125 for instructing exposure correction and white balance, and a power switch 126 are connected to the system controller 111, and respective operation signals are input.

The power required for driving the camera body 110 and the interchangeable lens 140 is input from an internal power supply 128 of the camera body or an external power supply input terminal 129 provided on the camera body, which is connected via a power switch 127. Power is supplied from the battery pack 300 to be operated.
The power switch 127 switches between the internal power supply 128 and the battery pack 300 according to a control signal from the system controller.

Next, the configuration and operation of the external image display device will be described. FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of the external image display device.

Infrared (Ir) light receiving element 2 for receiving an optical signal transmitted from electronic camera apparatus 100 and performing photoelectric conversion
12 is connected to a system controller 211 via an Ir light receiving circuit 213. The Ir light receiving circuit 213 amplifies and decodes the photoelectrically converted signal.

An expansion unit 214 for expanding the image signal from the electronic camera device 100 and returning the image signal to the original image data is connected to the system controller 211. An image processing unit 2 that performs conversion to display data and image processing in accordance with an exposure correction value or a white balance change value via a DRAM 215 that stores the expanded image data in an expansion unit 214.
16 are connected. The display LCD 203 is connected to the image processing unit 216 via a VRAM 217 that stores the converted display data.

The touch panel 20 is attached to the system controller 211.
4. The power switch 201 is connected. A panel circuit is connected to an external transmission input terminal to which a power supply cord 301 from the battery pack 300 is connected via a switch controlled by the system controller 211.

Next, the operation of the electronic camera device will be described with reference to FIG.
This will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the electronic camera device.

First, it is determined whether the release switch 102 is turned on (step S1). If it is determined that the release switch 102 has been turned on, image data input to the CCD 112 is captured (step S2). An A / D conversion unit 113 and an image processing unit 114
A / D conversion and image processing are performed by the DRAM 115
Write one end to The encoding unit 116 performs image processing such as compression encoding on the image stored in the DRAM 115 and stores the image in the buffer memory 118 (Step S).
3).

Next, the memory communication circuit 122 is selected by the circuit switch 119, and the memory communication circuit 122 is selected.
Converts the image data stored in the buffer memory 118 according to the memory writing format and writes the converted data into the CF card 124 (step S4).

Next, I is set by the circuit switch 119.
r communication circuit 120, and the Ir communication circuit 120 converts the image data stored in the buffer memory 118 into Ir data.
Convert to communication format, for example IrDA and LE
D121 as an infrared signal (step S
5). Then, the process returns to step S1.

In step S1, the release switch 1
If it is not determined that 02 has been turned on, it is determined whether an exposure correction operation has been performed by the operation input unit 125 (step S6). When the exposure correction operation is performed, the correction value is converted into a format for Ir communication by the Ir communication circuit 120 and transmitted from the LED 121 (step S).
7). Then, the process returns to step S1.

If it is determined in step S7 that the exposure correction operation has not been performed, it is determined whether the operation input means 125 has changed the white balance (step S8). If the white balance has not been changed, the process returns to step S1. If it is determined that the white balance has been changed, the changed value is transmitted to the Ir communication circuit 12.
0 to convert to Ir communication format
(Step S9). Then, step S1
Return to

Next, the operation of the external image display device 200 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. It is determined whether or not the Ir light receiving element 212 has received an infrared (Ir) signal (step S10). If it is determined that the Ir signal has not been received, it is determined whether the touch panel 204 has been operated (step S11). If no operation has been performed on the touch panel 204, the process returns to step S10. Touch panel 2
04 is determined to have been performed, the touch panel 20
Then, the touched position of No. 4 is determined (step S12). Next, the image data of the part corresponding to the determined position is
The data is read from the AM 215, and the read data is converted into data for display by the image processing unit 216 to create an enlarged image (step S13). Then, the enlarged image is stored in VRAM
217, and an enlarged image is displayed on the display LCD 203 (step S14).

If it is determined in step S10 that an Ir signal has been received, it is determined whether the Ir signal is an image signal (step S15). If the received signal is an image signal, the system controller 211 transmits the signal to the decompression unit 214, and the decompression unit 214 decompresses the transmitted data to return to the original image data and writes it to the DRAM 215 (step S16). Then, the image data is converted into display data by the image processing unit 216 and stored in the VRAM 217, and the display LCD
An image is displayed on 203 (step S14), and the process returns to step S10.

If it is determined in step S15 that the Ir signal is not image information and therefore image processing instruction information, it is determined whether the image processing instruction information is an exposure correction signal (step S17). If the image processing instruction information is an exposure correction signal, the image processing unit 216 performs a correction process on the image data stored in the DRAM 215 according to the exposure correction signal (step S18). Then, a correction value is added to the corrected image data,
Is displayed on the display LCD 203 (step S14), and the process returns to step S10.

In step S17, the image processing instruction information is not an exposure correction signal, and therefore the white balance (W
B) If it is determined that the signal is a change signal, the image processing unit 216 changes the image data stored in the DRAM 215 according to the white balance change signal (step S19). Then, the changed image data and the changed value are stored in the VRAM 217, the image and the changed value are displayed on the display LCD 203, and the process returns to step S10.

It is to be noted that if both the image before the processing and the image after the processing are recorded instead of rewriting the image data written in the DRAM 215, the image processing is performed many times on the original image. It can be performed.

The above operation will be described along the flow of photographing. First, the photographer turns on the power switch 126. Then, the subject is confirmed by the EVF 103, and the release switch 102 is turned on to perform photographing (step S).
2). Photographed and image processed (step S3)
The image data is recorded on the CF card (step S
4) Also, the LED is transmitted to the external image display device 200 (step S5).

When receiving the image data, the external image display device 200 writes the image data in the DRAM (step S16) and displays it on the display panel (step S1).
4). Since the display is performed on the display LCD 203 of the external image display device 200 having more pixels than the EVF 103 provided in the camera, it is necessary to check the detailed contents of the captured image data, for example, the state of exposure, focusing, and white balance. Is easy.

After the photographing, when the photographer performs an exposure correction operation or a white balance change operation on the electronic camera device 100 side, the content of the operation is transmitted to the external image display device side by an infrared signal (step). S7, 9). After performing image processing according to the operation content in the image processing circuit of the external image display device 200 (steps S18, S19), the image after the image processing and the processing content are displayed on the display panel (step S14). By performing processing such as correction of the exposure value or change of the white balance on the external image display device side, the processing can be performed from the original image. By displaying the processing contents, the photographer can easily understand the contents of the specified processing.

When an input to the touch panel 204 is detected, the image data corresponding to the input position is enlarged and displayed on the display panel (steps S13 and S14). By enlarging and displaying an arbitrary area, it is possible to more easily confirm the detailed contents of the captured image data, such as the state of exposure, focusing, and white balance.

According to the present embodiment, an image picked up by an external image display device having a significantly larger number of pixels than an EVF provided as a standard in a camera can be displayed, so that image data obtained by image pickup can be displayed. The content itself or the result of a simple correction made to the image data can be easily checked and used for the next imaging.

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be implemented with various modifications without departing from the scope of the invention.

[0047]

As described above, according to the present invention, an image picked up by a display panel having a much larger number of pixels than an EVF provided as a standard in a camera can be displayed. The content itself of the obtained image data or the result of performing a simple correction on the image data can be easily confirmed, and can be used for the next imaging.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an exemplary view showing an external view of an electronic camera system according to an embodiment of the present invention as viewed from the back.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the electronic camera device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the external image display device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the electronic camera device of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the external image display device of FIG. 4;

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 100 electronic camera device 101 optical finder 102 release switch 103 EVF 104 Ir emission window 110 camera body 111 syscon 112 CCD 113 A / D conversion unit 114 image processing unit 115 DRAM 116 encoding Unit 117 Display processing unit 118 Buffer memory 119 Circuit switcher 120 Memory communication circuit 121 LED 122 Memory communication circuit 123 Card slot 124 CF card 125 Operation input means 126 Power switch 127 Power switch 128 internal power supply 129 external power supply input terminal 140 interchangeable lens 141 lens ROM 142 motor 143 image lens 200 external image display device 201 power switch 202 attachment / detachment mechanism 203 display LCD 204 touch panel Panel 205 ... light receiving window 211 ... system controller 212 ... light receiving element 213 ... light receiving circuit 214 ... decompression section 215 ... DRAM 216 ... image processing unit 300 ... battery pack 301 ... power supply cord 400 ... External flash

Claims (6)

(57) [Claims] 1. A detachable mechanism provided on a housing and detachable from a housing of an electronic camera device, and a receiving unit for receiving image data and image processing instruction information obtained by capturing an image with the electronic camera device. A storage unit for storing image data received by the receiving unit; a display panel for displaying an image corresponding to the image data stored by the storage unit; and a display panel for displaying an image corresponding to the image processing instruction information received by the receiving unit. An image display device comprising: image processing means for converting image data stored in a storage means and writing the converted data in the storage means. 2. A touch panel is provided integrally on a display surface of said display panel, and said image processing means reads out image data of an area including a portion designated by operation of said touch panel from said storage means. The image display device according to claim 1, wherein an image corresponding to the image data is enlarged and displayed on the display panel. 3. An image processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said image processing means displays an image corresponding to the converted and rewritten image data and information based on the image processing instruction information received by said receiving means on said display panel. 2. The image display device according to 1. 4. The image display device according to claim 1, wherein said receiving means receives an infrared signal from said electronic camera device. 5. The image display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said image processing instruction information includes at least one of exposure correction information and white balance change information. 6. An electronic camera device comprising transmitting means for transmitting captured image data and image processing instruction information; and an attaching / detaching mechanism provided on a housing and detachable from the housing of the electronic camera device. Receiving means for receiving data captured by the electronic camera device and image processing instruction information, storing means for storing the image data received by the receiving means, and displaying an image corresponding to the image data stored in the storing means A display panel, an image display device comprising: an image processing unit configured to convert and rewrite image data stored in the storage unit in accordance with the image processing instruction information received by the reception unit; and An electronic camera system comprising: a power supply unit that is mounted and supplies power to the electronic camera device and the image display device.