JPH0297183A - Electronic still camera - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To easily know the type of a recording signal in a reproducing part by a user by executing the three types of display for a case that only a sound signal is recorded to the reproducing part of a recording medium, a case that only a video signal is recorded and a case that the video signal and sound signal are recorded. CONSTITUTION:At the time of reproducing, when information to be taken from a magnetic disk 15 by a magnetic head 36 are only information concerning the sound signal of 10 seconds mode, a control code decoding part 47 detects only a control code to correspond to the sound signal. Accordingly, display AUDIO and 10 are turned-on on an LCD panel 34. In the case of the video signal and the sound signal of 10 seconds mode to be simultaneously recorded, the two types of the control codes to correspond to the video signal and sound signal are detected and display parts AUDIO, VIDEO and 10 are turned-on on the LCD panel 34. In the case of the video signal, the display part VIDEO is turned-on on the LCD panel 34.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Technical Field] The present invention relates to an electronic still camera having a function of recording and reproducing video signals and audio signals, and particularly to an electronic still camera that can display video and audio signals separately during recording and reproducing. Regarding.

"Prior art and its problems" In recent years, in addition to converting the image of a subject captured by a lens into an electrical video signal and recording it on a magnetic recording medium such as a magnetic disk, in addition to the above-mentioned video signal, it is also possible to convert the image of a subject captured by a lens into an electrical video signal. Electronic still cameras have been developed that can record and play back audio signals along with video signals, or independently of audio and video signals.

However, even with this electronic still camera, during playback, the playback section does not have a function to display whether only one or both of the video signal and audio signal are present, making it difficult for the user to This can be inconvenient because it is difficult to know what type of signal (video signal, audio signal) is recorded in the part being played back.

For example, when only audio is being played back, it is unclear whether the audio is being recorded along with the images or only the audio.

Also, if you forget to record the audio signal for the third disc among the first to tenth discs, when you play the third disc first, only the video will be displayed and no audio will be output. In some cases, the user may mistakenly judge that the playback function is malfunctioning.

``Object of the Invention'' The present invention has been made to solve such conventional inconveniences.
An object of the present invention is to provide an electronic still camera having a function of displaying whether both exist.

"Summary of the Invention" To achieve the above object, the present invention provides a method for recording either or both of a video signal output from an imaging means and an audio signal output from an audio input means on a recording medium. An electronic still camera that records the video signal and the audio signal on the recording medium with a control code corresponding to the signal, the control code recorded on the recording medium being read when the recording medium is played back. , signal discrimination means for decoding the type of signal recorded on the recording medium, such as whether the signal is only a video signal, only an audio signal, or a video signal and an audio signal;
The present invention is characterized in that it includes display means for displaying the type of signal recorded on the recording medium that has been decoded by the signal discrimination means.

According to the above configuration, when only an audio signal is recorded in the playback portion of the recording medium, when only a video signal is recorded, when a video signal and an audio signal are recorded,
Three types of display are performed, and the user can easily know the type of recorded signal in the reproduced portion.

"Embodiments of the Invention" Hereinafter, an electronic still camera according to the present invention will be described in detail based on the drawings.

FIG. 2 is an external view of the electronic still camera according to the present invention.

As shown in the figure, this electronic still camera is roughly divided into a camera body 10 and an audio adapter 12 that is detachably attached to the camera body 10. This audio adapter 12 is not needed when only capturing an image of a subject, but is attached to the camera body 10 when recording audio at the same time as the image capturing.

On the rear surface of the camera body 10, there is a display 14 that displays recording and playback modes and track numbers, and a display 14 that commands to move the magnetic head provided on the camera body 10 one track outward or inward. An up switch 16A and a down switch 16B are provided. Furthermore, a release switch 16C and a lid 18 for loading and unloading the magnetic disk are provided on the top surface.

Furthermore, a female connector 20, positioning holes 22, 24, and screw holes 26 are provided on the side surface of the camera body 10. The female connector 20 is connected to the male connector 21 of the audio adapter 12, and signals are sent and received via this connector 20. 2
2.24 is engaged with a not-illustrated protrusion provided on the audio adapter 12 when the audio adapter 12 is connected to the camera body 10. The screw hole 26 is connected to the audio adapter 1.
2 is connected to the camera body 10, the audio adapter 1
It is screwed into a screw (not shown) connected to a lock operation knob provided at 2.

Further, although not shown in the drawings, the camera body 1O is provided with a photographic lens, an image sensor, etc. as an imaging means.

On the other hand, the audio adapter 12 includes a microphone 30,
A recording switch 32A outputs a recording start command and a recording end command, and outputs a command to record the audio signal temporarily stored in the memory in the audio adapter 12 on the magnetic disk in the camera body 10 by operating the recording switch 32. A recording switch 32B and a display 34, which will be described later, are provided as display means for displaying recording time, playback time, and the type of signal recorded on the magnetic disk.

FIG. 3 shows an audio track on a magnetic disk 15 built into the camera body 10. As shown in FIG.

As is well known, information regarding audio recorded by operating the recording switch 32B is recorded for each track in accordance with a format preset on the magnetic disk 15. The video signal is recorded continuously, but the audio signal is divided into four sectors separated by spaces, and recorded for each sector.

When these signals are recorded, control codes corresponding to each signal type are simultaneously recorded6. For example, when an audio signal is recorded, a control code corresponding to this audio signal is recorded. , when a video signal is recorded, control codes corresponding to the video signal are recorded simultaneously with the recording of these signals.

FIG. 1 shows a display 3 of an electronic still camera according to the present invention.
4 shows a schematic configuration diagram of a circuit related to display No. 4.

The audio memory 40 temporally compresses an audio signal and stores it as a digital signal, and outputs the stored digital signal as it is or after expanding it temporally. This audio memory 40 includes a recording/reproducing circuit section 41 as a signal processing circuit,
An audio recording and reproducing circuit 42 is connected thereto.

During recording when the recording switch 32A is operated, the recording/reproducing circuit section 41 converts the audio signal, which is an analog signal from the microphone 30, into a digital signal and outputs it to the audio memory 40, and during playback, converting the digital audio signal expanded and output from the audio memory 40 into an analog signal;
The speaker 35 is driven.

During recording when the recording switch 32B is operated, the audio recording and reproducing circuit 42 records the digital signal related to the audio temporarily stored in the audio memory 40 on the magnetic disk 15 via the magnetic head 36, During playback, a digital signal related to audio recorded on the magnetic disk 15 is taken out via the magnetic head 36,
Output to the audio memory 40.

Incidentally, when recording an audio signal by this audio recording/reproducing circuit 42, a start flag, an end flag, and a control code are recorded for each sector as shown in FIG.

Further, a timing control section 43 is connected to the audio memory 40 and the recording/reproducing circuit section 41 for synchronizing the exchange of audio signals between the audio memory 40 and the recording/reproducing circuit section 41 .

Furthermore, the audio memory 40 stores the temporal amount of the audio signal output from the audio recording/reproducing circuit 42 to the audio memory 40, the capacity required for storing the audio signal, and specifically, the address required for storing the audio information. A recording amount calculating unit 44 that calculates the amount of data calculated from the recording amount calculation unit 44 is connected to a system controller 5° that comprehensively controls the operation of the electronic still camera.

The timing control section 43 is connected to a playback amount calculation section 45 that calculates the current playback time based on the audio signal output from the audio memory 4o to the recording/reproduction circuit section 41.

The tracking control section 46 controls the tracking of the magnetic head 36 on the magnetic disk 15 based on commands output from the system controller 50.

A control code decoding section 47 is connected to the magnetic head 36 as a signal discriminating means. This control code decoder 4
7, the control code recorded on the magnetic disk 15 is decoded and an audio signal and a video signal are discriminated. Note that in this decoding, since a vertical synchronization signal is present in the case of a video signal, the presence or absence of this vertical synchronization signal may be detected to discriminate between a video signal, an audio signal, and a video signal.

A switching circuit 48 is interposed between the magnetic head 36 and the audio recording/reproducing circuit 42. This switching circuit 48 has a function of switching the connection of the magnetic head 36 between the audio recording/reproducing circuit 42 and the video recording/reproducing circuit, and the switching operation is controlled by the control code decoder 47 during reproduction.

That is, if the control code decoding section 47 determines that it is an audio signal, the magnetic head 36 is connected to the audio recording and reproducing circuit 42,
If it is determined that the signal is a video signal, the magnetic head 36 is connected to the video recording/reproducing circuit. In addition, during recording, switching control is performed by operating the release switch 16C1 and the recording switch 32A.

An LCD panel (display means) 34 is connected to the storage amount calculation section 44, the playback amount calculation section 45, and the control code decoding section 47, which displays a display as described later.

The various switches 49 described above are connected to the system controller 50. The system controller 50 operates in response to input from the switch 49 and performs various controls and calculations.

The display on the LCD panel 34 will be explained based on FIGS. 5 to 7.

The LCD panel 34 has a character and symbol display section composed of a large number of liquid crystal segment surfaces. Top display section rR
ECJ indicates the recording mode, and rPLAYJ indicates the playback mode. In the figure, black indicates lighting. Therefore, FIGS. 5 to 7 represent the reproduction mode.

The white display section rAUDIOJ disposed below the display section rRECPLAYJ indicates an audio signal, and the white display section rVIDEOJ indicates a video signal. Therefore, FIG. 5 shows that only the audio signal is recorded, and FIG. 6 shows that only the audio signal is recorded.

Both audio and video signals are recorded;
FIG. 7 shows that only the video signal is recorded.

Display section r AUDIo VIDEOJ (7) arranged below tL frame (7) Display section r 1020 SEC
/TRACKJ represents the available audio recording time on the l track. This embodiment has two modes in which recording can be performed for 10 seconds or 20 seconds, rlOJ indicates the 10 seconds mode, and r201 indicates the 20 seconds mode.

A display section rl+...111 consisting of 10 barcode segments at the bottom is a display representing the amount of audio recording (time). When recording, it lights up from the left side as time passes, indicating how much has been recorded. During playback, a number corresponding to the recording time will light up from the left side to indicate which time has been recorded. For example, in Figures 5 and 6, the barcode segment is displayed in 10 seconds mode. Since 10 lights are lit, this indicates that recording is being performed for 10 seconds.

Above display section rRECPLAYJ, rAUDIOVIDE
The lighting of OJ and r l O20SEC/TRACKJ is controlled by the control code decoding section 47, and the display section rl+
. . . 111 is the storage amount calculation unit 44 and the reproduction amount calculation unit 4
The lighting is controlled by 5.

In the electronic still camera of the present invention configured as described above, at the time of playback, only one of the video signal and the audio signal is present in the current playback section of the magnetic disk 15.
Whether both exist is displayed as shown below.

During playback, if the information retrieved from the magnetic disk 15 by the magnetic head 36 is only related to the audio signal in the 10-second mode, the control code decoder 47 detects only the control code corresponding to the audio signal. ,
Based on the detection of this code, the control code decoder 47 lights up a display as shown in FIG. 5 on the LCD panel 34, that is, the displays rAUDIOJ and rlol. Furthermore, the recording amount calculation unit 44 detects the recording time of the audio signal, and generates a number of barcode segments r1 according to the detected time.
1...111 lights up.

When the information taken in by the magnetic head 36 from the magnetic disk 15 is a video signal and a 10-second mode audio signal recorded at the same time, the control code decoder 47 reads two types of information corresponding to the video signal and audio signal. Detect control code. Therefore, the control code decoder 47 displays a display as shown in FIG. 6 on the LCD panel 34 based on the detection of this code, that is, the display section rAUDIOJ.

rVIDEOJ8J: Turn on rlOJ t6. Further, the recording amount calculation unit 44 detects the recording time of the audio signal, and generates a number of barcode segments r11 according to the detected time.
...11" is lit.

When the information taken in from the magnetic disk 15 by the magnetic head 36 is a video signal, the control code decoder 47 detects only the control code corresponding to the video signal. Therefore, the control code decoder 47 lights up a display as shown in FIG. 7 on the LCD panel 34 based on the detection of this code, that is, the display section rVIDEOJ.

In this way, the LCD panel 34 records whether only the audio signal or only the video signal is recorded in the reproduction portion of the magnetic disk 15 currently being reproduced, and whether the video signal and the audio signal are recorded. Since there are three types of display, ie, ``dr.'' and ``dr.'', the user can easily know the type of recorded signal in the reproduced portion.

Although the present invention has been described above based on the attached drawings, an LED may be used as the display means, and the LCD panel 1
The shape, pattern, etc. of the display section 5 can be changed arbitrarily.

Further, although the camera body 10 and the audio adapter 12 are made separable, they may be formed integrally.

"Effects of the Invention" As is clear from the above explanation, in the electronic still camera of the present invention, when only audio signals are recorded in the playback portion of the recording medium, when only video signals are recorded , when video and audio signals are recorded,
Since the display can be done in three ways, the user can:
This makes it easy to know the type of recorded signal in the playback section, making it easy to determine whether the audio being played back is recorded as audio alone or along with video. can be recognized.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a circuit related to display drive control of an LCD panel regarding audio in an electronic still camera according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is an external perspective view of an embodiment of the electronic still camera according to the present invention, and FIG. The figure shows the audio track on the magnetic disk for the electronic still camera shown in Figure 2, and
The figure shows the recording state of the audio signal and control code recorded on the magnetic disk shown in FIG. 2, and FIGS. It is a figure which shows each display state of an LCD display panel. Fig. 2 10...Camera body, 12...Audio adapter, 15
. . . Magnetic disk (recording medium), 34 . . . LCD panel (display means), 47 . Figure 3 Procedures completed by Nan Seishi (self-motivated) Yoshi, Commissioner of the Japan Patent Office 1) Tsuyoshi Moon 1, Indication of the incident Patent Application No. 250264 of 1988 2, Name of the invention Electronic still camera December 28, 1989 3, Relationship with the person making the amendment Patent applicant address 2-36-9 Maeno-cho, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo Name (
052) Asahi Optical Industry Co., Ltd. Representative: Toru Matsumoto 4, Agent address: 601 Kojimachi Sanno Mansion, 11 Nibancho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102 Telephone: 03 (234)
02906, Contents of the amendment (1) In the specification attached to the application, page 14, line 4 to line 6 of the same page, the statement "Old... will be indicated in the reproduction section." In the playback section, whether only one of the video signal and the audio signal is recorded, or whether both are recorded in a certain relationship, is indicated as shown below.'' . (2) On page 14, line 8 of the same specification, the statement "Information is in 10 seconds mode" is amended to read "Information is recorded independently in 10 seconds mode." (3) On page 15, line 11 of the same specification, the description "video signal" is amended to read "video signal recorded alone." (4) Amend Figure 1 of the drawings attached to the application as shown in the attached sheet. (that's all)

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) When recording either or both of the video signal output from the imaging means and the audio signal output from the audio input means on a recording medium, a control code corresponding to each signal is attached to the recording. The electronic still camera records the video signal and the audio signal on a medium, and when the recording medium is played back, a control code recorded on the recording medium is read, and the signal recorded on the recording medium is converted into a video signal. a signal discriminating means for decoding the type of the signal, such as whether it is only a signal, only an audio signal, or a video signal and an audio signal; and a signal recorded on the recording medium decoded by the signal discriminating means. An electronic still camera comprising display means for displaying the type of signal. (2) In claim 1, the signal discrimination means, during reproduction,
An electronic still camera that detects the presence or absence of a vertical synchronization signal to determine whether it is a video signal.