JPH0659096B2 - Memory Cartridge - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION In a memory cartridge having a semiconductor image memory for storing digital image data for a plurality of frames, an image display device and a frame feed switch are provided, and predetermined image data in the image memory is provided. And display the image on the display device,
In addition, the display image is sequentially shifted in response to the input from the frame feed switch.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a memory cartridge having a semiconductor image memory, for example, a memory cartridge for storing digital image data provided by a digital electronic still camera or other image data recording device.

What is called an electronic still camera or still video camera, which is currently realized and is commercially available, FM-modulates a video signal and records it in the form of an analog signal on a magnetic disk as a recording medium. The magnetic disk is rotatably housed inside a so-called case or jacket. Video signals of about 50 frames can be recorded on the magnetic disk. When such a magnetic disk is loaded into a reproducing apparatus equipped with a CRT display device and driven for reproduction, the video signal recorded on the magnetic disk is reproduced and displayed on the CRT display device.

With the recent development of IC memory manufacturing technology, a large-capacity semiconductor memory chip has come to be realized, and a memory cartridge for digitally storing image data and a digital electronic device capable of recording a picked-up image on the memory cartridge. The still camera shines in the limelight. Since image data is stored in such a memory cartridge in the form of a digital signal which is easy to handle, there is a possibility of developing various applications.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a memory cartridge having a function of displaying a desired stored image by utilizing the characteristic of the memory cartridge capable of handling and storing digital signals. To do.

A memory cartridge according to the present invention is a semiconductor image memory capable of storing image data for a plurality of frames in a predetermined order.
A display device for inputting image data read from the image memory and displaying an image represented by the image data,
A frame selection switch for selecting image data to be displayed on the display device, and a control means for controlling the image data selected in response to the input from the frame selection switch from the image memory and displaying the image data on the display device. It is characterized by having. A memory cartridge is a concept in which a semiconductor memory is housed in a case or a cartridge and includes a memory card.

According to the present invention, the image data stored in the image memory, which is designated in response to the input of the frame selection switch, is read out, given to the display device and displayed. Since the memory cartridge has a playback function for image data, it is possible to play back images without the need for a separate playback device.
Easy and convenient.

Description of Embodiments FIG. 1 shows the appearance of a memory cartridge. The memory cartridge 10 has many terminals 19A for electrically connecting to a digital electronic still camera or other digital image recording device when electrically connected to the camera. These terminals 19A connect the data bus, address bus, control line and the like. A liquid crystal display 14 is provided on a part of the surface of the memory cartridge 10, and the liquid crystal display 14 stores information in a semiconductor image memory (reference numeral 12 in FIG. 2) described later in the memory cartridge 10. In addition to the image represented by the existing image data, the number of remaining frames that can be stored in the image memory 12 or the frame number D1, which indicates the shooting sequence, and the shooting date D2 are displayed. In addition to these data, data indicating the shooting location, other index information, etc. may be displayed. On the surface of the memory cartridge 10 on which the display 14 is provided, a solar cell 17 that supplies operating power to the display 14 is arranged. Further, a forward feed switch 13a for feeding the frame of the image to be displayed on the display 14 in the forward direction and a reverse feed switch 13b for feeding the frame in the reverse direction are provided. Digital data of images for a plurality of frames are stored in the image memory 12 together with the data of the above-mentioned displays D1, D2, etc. in a fixed order (for example, shooting order). By pressing the forward switch 13a, the next image in the above order of the currently displayed image is displayed by the reverse switch 13a.
By pressing b, the previous image is saved in memory 12
Read out from and displayed on the display unit 14.

FIG. 2 shows the electrical construction of the memory cartridge 10. Terminal 19A is collectively shown as connector 19. The image memory 12 has a capacity capable of storing digital image data for a plurality of frames. This cartridge is used in the image recording device such as the digital electronic still camera described above.
When the cartridge 10 is mounted, the cartridge 10 is electrically connected to the image recording device via the connector 19. Image data given from the image recording device and the above-mentioned displays D1, D
The data for 2 are stored one by one in a predetermined area of the image memory 12 in a predetermined order (for example, an input order or a frame number order).

The memory cartridge 10 further includes a display buffer memory 16 for temporarily storing the digital image data read from the image memory 12 for display, the above-mentioned liquid crystal display 14, and the digital image data as an analog video signal. Display drive circuit 15 including a D / A converter for conversion, CP for display control including frame feed control performed in response to inputs from the above-mentioned order, reverse frame feed switches 13a, 13b, and switches 13a, 13b
A U (including a memory storing a program) 11, the solar battery 17, the image memory 12, a display memory 16, a drive circuit 15, and a dry battery 18 for supplying operating power to the CPU 11 are provided. Depending on the type of display device, the drive circuit 15 does not necessarily need to be provided with the D / A converter.

When one input signal is given from the forward switch 13a, the CPU 11 reads out the image data corresponding to the next frame in the above order of the currently displayed image from the image memory 12 and transfers it to the display memory 16 and the drive circuit. Since an operation command is given to 15, the image of the next frame is displayed on the display 14. When there is an input from the reverse feed switch 13b, the CPU 11 sets 1 in the order of the image currently displayed.
The data of the immediately preceding image is read out and controlled to be displayed on the display 14 in the same manner. In this way, the operator can sequentially shift the displayed image forward or backward by pressing the frame feed switches 13a and 13b.

Such image display can be performed when the memory cartridge is attached to or detached from the image recording apparatus.

If necessary, the memory cartridge 10 may be provided with a power switch so that an image is displayed only when the power switch is turned on. It is preferable that the image with the smallest frame number is automatically displayed when the power switch is turned on.

It is also possible to supply the electric power of the dry battery 18 only to the CPU 11 and the image memory 12 and to operate the other circuits 14, 15 and 16 by the solar battery 17. If the image memory 12 is a non-volatile memory, power supply may be unnecessary in the inactive state.

In this way, the memory cartridge 10 serves as a recording medium for image data and also has a function as a reproducing device, so that image reproduction can be easily performed without mounting the memory cartridge on a separately prepared reproducing device. It is possible and convenient.

The image displayed on the display 14 may be the entire image for one frame or a predetermined part.

The above memory cartridge could be used for other purposes as a portrait placed on a desk or as an ID card with a video photograph of the owner.

The frame selection switch is not limited to the forward feed switch and the reverse feed switch described above, but it is also possible to use, for example, a ten-key pad that can specify the frame number, an automatic feed switch that feeds one frame at a fixed time, or the like.

In the above embodiment, the memory cartridge is connected to the digital electronic still camera or other recording device or reproducing device by electrical contact, but it may be connected by optical or magnetic coupling. Needless to say.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the external appearance of a memory cartridge. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of the memory cartridge. 10 …… Memory cartridge, 11 …… CPU, 12 …… Image memory, 13a …… Sequential feed switch, 13b …… Reverse feed switch, 14 …… Liquid crystal display, 15 …… Display drive circuit, 16 …… Display Buffer memory, 17 ... Solar cell, 18 ... Dry cell, 19 ... Connector, 19A ... Connector terminal.

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-57-78285 (JP, A) JP-A-58-70691 (JP, A) JP-A-59-43472 (JP, A) JP-A-60- 55588 (JP, A) JP 56-145582 (JP, A) Actual development 62-81263 (JP, U)

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A semiconductor image memory capable of storing image data for a plurality of frames in a predetermined order, a display device for inputting image data read from the image memory, and a display device for displaying an image represented by the image data. A frame selection switch for selecting the image data to be displayed on the display, and control means for controlling the image data selected in response to the input from the frame selection switch from the image memory and displaying it on the display device. Memory cartridge. 2. The memory according to claim 1, wherein the frame selection switch is a frame feed switch for shifting the display image one by one in the forward direction or the reverse direction of the predetermined order. cartridge.