JPH08317324A - Electronic camera - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To simultaneously display a recorded image even during the preparation of photographing. CONSTITUTION: A recording signal processing circuit 12 records a photographed image in a recording medium 14 by operating a photographing switch not shown in the figure. At that time, a switch 24 is connected to a contact (b) and the same image is stored in a memory circuit 28. When the preparation of photographing is recovered, the image photographed by a photographing part 10 is impressed through the circuit 12 and switches 20 and 24 to an input terminal 32a of an image working circuit 32. The image read from the memory circuit 28 (such as the same image as the image recorded in the recording medium 14 just before, for example,) is impressed to an input terminal 32b of the image working circuit 32. The image working circuit 32 composites both the images with the designated size and display position. The composited image is impressed through a display signal processing circuit 34 to an image display device 36 and displayed.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electronic camera for converting an optical image into an electric signal, and more particularly to an electronic camera equipped with an image display means.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A liquid crystal display device (LCD) is used as an electronic viewfinder (EVF) for an electronic camera and an image display device for displaying a reproduced image. For example, an LCD of about 0.7 inch is used as the EVF, and an LCD of about 3 to 4 inches is used for reproducing and displaying a recorded image. There is also an electronic camera in which one LCD is used as both an EVF and a playback display of a recorded image.

Electronic cameras include both still photography cameras and motion cameras. In this specification,
Both are targeted. Further, in the present specification, as in the case of determining the composition of an object to be imaged, an optical image is converted into an electric signal and observed on the EVF, but a mode or state in which the image is not recorded on the recording medium is set in the image capturing preparation mode. The mode or state in which the captured image is actually recorded on the recording medium is referred to as the recording mode. When it is not necessary to distinguish between the shooting preparation mode and the recording mode, both are collectively referred to as a shooting mode.

In the conventional electronic camera, in the shooting mode,
The captured image signal photoelectrically converted by the image pickup device is displayed on the LCD, and in the reproduction mode, the image reproduced from the recording medium is displayed on the LCD. That is, for the LCD, the selection of the shooting mode and the playback mode is mutually exclusive, and in the conventional example, either the shot image is displayed or the playback image is displayed on the LCD. Needless to say, when there is an external video input terminal, an image of a video signal from the outside can be displayed, but since it is far from the subject of the present invention,
Out of the question.

[0005]

As described above, in the conventional example, when it is desired to confirm the reproduced image on the LCD even in the photographing preparation mode in which the recording operation is not actually performed, the reproduction mode is once designated and reproduced. After confirming the image on the LCD, a series of operations such as returning to the shooting preparation mode must be performed. Two mode switching operations are required.

As a result, even when the previously recorded image is desired to be erased during the photographing preparation mode, the operation mode is switched from the photographing preparation mode to the reproduction mode and the reproduced image of the recording to be erased is displayed on the LCD. It is necessary to perform a series of operations such as erasing the record and switching to the shooting preparation mode again.

An object of the present invention is to provide an electronic camera capable of displaying both a captured image and a reproduced image on the screen at the same time even during preparation for capturing.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an electronic camera capable of displaying both a photographed image and a reproduced image on the screen at the same time during photographing preparation and erasing an arbitrary recorded image.

[0009]

An electronic camera according to the present invention includes an image pickup means for converting an optical image into an electric signal, a recording medium for recording image information, and a photographed image obtained by the image pickup means for the recording medium. Recording means, a memory means for storing one or more images representative of images recorded on the recording medium, a photographed image obtained by the image pickup means, and one or more storages stored in the memory means. The image processing means is configured to combine and process the image, and the image display means for displaying the combined image by the image processing means.

The image processing means changes the display size on the screen of the image display device for each of the photographed image obtained by the image pickup means and the one or more stored images stored in the memory means. It comprises first and second size conversion means, first and second display position conversion means for converting the display position, and combining means for combining the converted images.

Further, the image processing means includes a designating means for selectively designating at least one image out of the images displayed on the image display means, and a setting means for setting a display size and a display position. The image designated by the designating unit is converted into the display size and the display position set by the setting unit.

Further, designation means for selectively designating at least one image from the stored images displayed on the image display means, erasing instruction means for erasing the stored image designated by the designating means, and Erasing means for erasing the stored image designated by the designating means from the memory means according to the erasing instruction means, and erasing the recorded image of the recording medium corresponding to the stored image designated by the designating means from the recording medium. It is equipped with.

The memory means stores one of the same moving image and a predetermined still image in the moving image when the moving image is recorded in the recording medium, and the same when the still image is recorded in the recording medium. Memorize still images. When the amount of stored images reaches a predetermined amount, the memory means erases old stored images,
Remember the new image.

[0014]

With the above means, the image being photographed and the image already recorded on the recording medium can be displayed at the same time, and the image can be photographed while checking the recorded image on the same screen.
Since an arbitrary image displayed as an image can be scaled up and down and its display position can be moved, the desired image can be freely displayed for easy viewing. Furthermore, even during shooting, the recorded image can be erased by a simple operation while checking, without the need for mode switching.

[0015]

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

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention, which supports both still image shooting and moving image shooting.
Reference numeral 10 denotes a photographing lens that forms a subject light and a solid-state image sensor that converts the formed optical image into an electric signal, for example, a CC.
An image pickup unit 12 including a D-type image pickup device is a recording signal processing circuit which converts an output signal of the image pickup unit 10 into a predetermined recording format and records the converted signal on a recording medium 14. The recording medium 14 is, for example, a magnetic tape, a magnetic disk, a semiconductor memory, or the like, or a combination thereof. 16 is a recording medium 14
This is a reproduction signal processing circuit that reproduces the image recorded in (1) and outputs it to the external output terminal 18 in a predetermined standard format.

Reference numeral 20 is a switch for selecting the image signal (contact point a) from the recording signal processing circuit 12 or the image signal (contact point b) from the reproduction signal processing circuit 16 for displaying on the monitor screen. Switch 20 depending on the operating mode
Is a switch control circuit for controlling the. Reference numeral 24 is a switch for advancing the image signal selected by the switch 20 to one of the two paths, and 26 is a switch control circuit for controlling the switch 24.

Reference numeral 28 is a memory circuit capable of storing a plurality of screens of an image signal from the contact point b of the switch 24 (specifically, an image signal from the recording signal processing circuit 12 or a reproduced image signal from the recording medium 14). , 30 are memory control circuits for controlling writing and reading of the memory circuit 28.

Reference numeral 32 denotes an image processing circuit for selecting or synthesizing an image signal from the a contact of the switch 24 (specifically, an image signal from the recording signal processing circuit 12) and an image signal from the memory circuit 28. Is a display signal processing circuit for converting the output image of the image processing circuit 32 into the display format of the image display device 36. Although the image display device 36 is a liquid crystal display device in this embodiment, it may be another flat panel display device or a CRT display device.

FIG. 2 shows a schematic block diagram of the inside of the image processing circuit 32. 32a is an input terminal of the image signal from the a contact of the switch 24, 32b is an input terminal of the image signal from the memory circuit 28, and 40a and 40b are respectively,
Buffer memories for temporarily storing the image signals from the input terminals 32a, 32b, 42a, 42b are image size conversion circuits for converting the image size of the image signals from the buffer memories 40a, 40b, and 44a, 44b are respectively. A display position conversion circuit that converts the display position of the image signals from the image size conversion circuits 42a and 42b on the display screen, and 46 is a circuit 40a, 40b, 42a, 42b, 44.
A control circuit for controlling the a and 44b in a coordinated manner, 48 is a synthesizing circuit for synthesizing (including selecting) the image signals from the display position converting circuits 44a and 44b, and 50 is an output for outputting the output of the synthesizing circuit 48 to the outside. A display signal processing circuit 34
Connect to the input of. Conversion circuits 42a, 42b, 44a,
Under control of the control circuit 46, 44b can not only convert the input image signal into a specified size and display position, but also output it as it is.

The operation of this embodiment will be described. In this embodiment, there is a mode changeover switch for selectively designating the photographing mode and the reproduction mode, and the photographing mode or the reproduction mode is set according to the operation. In the reproduction mode, the reproduction signal processing circuit 16 reproduces the image recorded on the recording medium 14,
The reproduced image signal is supplied to the output terminal 18 and the b contact of the switch 20 in respective signal formats. In the shooting mode, the above-described shooting preparation mode is normally set, and the recording signal processing circuit 12 supplies the image signal from the imaging unit 10 to the a contact of the switch 20 in a predetermined format. When a shooting switch (not shown) is pressed in the shooting mode, the recording mode is set, and the recording signal processing circuit 12 records the image captured by the imaging unit 10 on the recording medium 14. Even in the shooting mode, particularly in the shooting preparation mode, the recording signal processing circuit 12 is configured so that
A photographed image of 0 is supplied to the a contact of the switch 20 in a predetermined format.

The operation of the photographing mode will be described in detail. As described above, when the shooting switch is not pressed, the shooting preparation mode is set, and the image shot by the image pickup unit 10 is displayed on the image display device 36.
Not recorded in 4. That is, the recording signal processing circuit 12
The image signal output from the image pickup unit 10 is converted into a predetermined format and supplied to the a contact of the switch 20. In the shooting mode, unless otherwise specified, the switch control circuit 22 connects the switch 20 to the a contact, and the switch control circuit 26 connects the switch 24 to the a contact. Therefore, the image signal from the recording signal processing circuit 12 is applied to the input terminal 32a of the image processing circuit 32 via the switch 20 and the switch 24. At this time, the input terminal 32b of the image processing circuit 32
No image signal is input to.

In the image processing circuit 32, the image input to the input terminal 32a is temporarily stored in the buffer memory 40a and applied to the image size conversion circuit 42a. The image size conversion circuit 42a controls the size of the input image by the control circuit 4.
6, and the display position conversion circuit 44a can change the display position. However, unless otherwise specified, the control circuit 46 instructs the conversion circuits 42a and 44a to perform no processing. In the case of no processing, the conversion circuits 42a and 44a use the memory 4
The image signal from 0a is output as it is. This allows
The captured image has such an image size and display position as to be displayed on the entire display screen of the image display device 36.

Needless to say, at this time, the size and display position can be set so that a part of the photographed image is enlarged and displayed, or the photographed image is displayed on a part of the display screen.

The synthesis circuit 48 is a display position conversion circuit 44.
The image signals from a and 44b are combined. Here, since only the display position conversion circuit 44a applies the image signal to the combination circuit 48, the combination circuit 48 displays the display position conversion circuit 4a.
The image signal output from 4a (that is, the image signal of the image captured by the image capturing unit 10) is output to the output terminal 50, that is, the display signal processing circuit 34.

The display signal processing circuit 34 includes the image processing circuit 3
The image signal from 2 is converted into a format that matches the input format of the image display device 36 and applied to the image display device 36. As a result, the image display device 36 displays the image signal output from the image processing circuit 32 (here, the image signal captured by the imaging unit 10) as an image.

In this manner, the image taken by the image pickup section 10 is displayed on the screen of the image display device 36 in real time. The photographer can check the composition of the subject by looking at the image displayed on the image display device 36.

When the composition is determined and the photographer presses a photographing switch (not shown), the photographing mode is set, and the recording signal processing circuit 12 records the image photographed by the image pickup unit 10 on the recording medium 14.

In the present embodiment, a still image recording mode and a moving image recording mode can be selected by a still image / moving image selection switch (not shown). First, the operation in the case of still image recording will be described in detail. In the still image recording mode, a still image for one screen when the shooting switch is pressed is recorded on the recording medium 14. This will be specifically described. When a shooting switch (not shown) is pressed in the shooting preparation mode, the recording signal processing circuit 12 captures the image signal output from the imaging unit 10 for one screen, records it in the recording medium 14, and simultaneously captures it. The image signal is supplied to the a contact of the switch 20 in a predetermined format. Although the switch control circuit 22 still connects the switch 20 to the a contact, the switch control circuit 2
6 switches the switch 24 to b when the shooting switch is pressed.
Connect to contacts. Therefore, the image signal supplied from the recording signal processing circuit 12 to the a contact of the switch 20 is applied to the memory circuit 28 via the switch 24. The memory control circuit 30 controls the memory circuit 28 so that the image signal from the b contact of the switch 24 is written in the memory circuit 28.

In this way, the memory circuit 28 stores the same image signal of one screen recorded on the recording medium 14. The memory control circuit 30 repeatedly reads the image stored in the memory circuit 28 at a predetermined cycle. The image signal read from the memory circuit 28 is input to the input terminal 32b of the image processing circuit 32.

The image signal input to the input terminal 32b is temporarily stored in the buffer memory 40b, then converted to a specified image size by the image size conversion circuit 42b, and converted to a specified display position by the display position conversion circuit 44b. Then, it is supplied to the synthesis circuit 48.

Since the switch 24 is connected to the b contact, the input to the input terminal 32a of the image processing circuit is no signal, and the buffer memory 40a, the image size conversion circuit 42a and the display position conversion circuit 44a are do nothing. Therefore, the synthesis circuit 48 supplies the image signal from the conversion circuit 44b to the display signal processing circuit 34 via the output terminal 50. The display signal processing circuit 34 converts the image signal from the image processing circuit 32 into a predetermined format and applies it to the image display device 36. As a result, the same image recorded on the recording medium 14 continues to be displayed on the image display device 36. The photographer uses the image displayed on the image display device 36 to display the recording medium 14
You can check the still image just recorded in.

An image of one screen is recorded on the recording medium 14,
When stored in the memory circuit 28, the shooting mode is returned to the shooting preparation mode regardless of the operation of the shooting switch.
This causes the switch control circuit 26 to switch the switch 24 to a
Switch to the contact. The memory circuit 28 stores the image written in the immediately previous shooting mode as long as the storage capacity is sufficient.
Also, it is kept stored unless there is an instruction to erase it from the photographer. Of course, if the main power is turned off, all data will be lost.

When one screen of image data is recorded on the recording medium 14 and stored in the memory circuit 28, the photographing mode is changed to the photographing preparation mode even if the photographing switch is kept pressed. By entering the shooting preparation mode, the switch control circuit 26 switches the switch 24 to the a-contact side. Therefore, as in the case of the shooting preparation mode described above, the image shot by the imaging unit 10 is the recording signal processing circuit 12 and the switch 20.
And is supplied to the input terminal 32a of the image processing circuit 32 via the switch 24. At this time, the image signal repeatedly read from the memory circuit 28 is supplied to the input terminal 32b of the image processing circuit 32. The photographer can arbitrarily specify which image signal of the image stored in the memory circuit 28 is supplied to the image processing circuit 32. The default is the image stored in the memory circuit 28 immediately before.

The image processing circuit 32 processes each image as follows. That is, the image signal (captured image) input to the input terminal 32a is temporarily stored in the buffer memory 40a, then converted into a specified image size by the image size conversion circuit 42a, and displayed by the display position conversion circuit 44a. After being converted into a position, it is supplied to the combining circuit 48.
On the other hand, the image signal (the image read from the memory circuit 28) input to the input terminal 32b is stored in the buffer memory 40.
After being temporarily stored in b, the image size conversion circuit 42b converts it into a designated image size, and the display position conversion circuit 44
After being converted to the designated display position by b, the synthesizing circuit 48
Is supplied to. The synthesizing circuit 48 includes conversion circuits 44a and 44.
The image from b is combined into one image, and the combined image signal is supplied to the display signal processing circuit 34 via the output terminal 50.

Examples of size conversion by the image size conversion circuits 42a and 42b, display position conversion by the display position conversion circuits 44a and 44b, and composition in the composition circuit 48 are shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5. In FIGS. 3 to 5, 52 is the entire display screen of the image display device 36, 54 is a display area of a captured image, 56 is an image recorded on the recording medium 14 (specifically, an image from the memory circuit 28). ) Indicates the display area.

In the example shown in FIG. 3, a display area 54 for photographed images and a display area 56 for recorded images are displayed in the entire display screen 52.
And are arranged so that they do not overlap. In this case, the image size conversion circuits 42a and 42b reduce the input image to a size matching the display areas 54 and 56, respectively, and the display position conversion circuits 44a and 44b reduce the reduced images by the circuits 42a and 42b to the display areas. It is arranged at a display position matching 54 and 56. The combining circuit 48 simply combines the output images of the circuits 44a and 44b.

In the example shown in FIG. 4, the display area 5 for the photographed image is displayed.
4, the display area 56 for the recorded image is set. In this case, the image size conversion circuit 42a outputs the input image (captured image) as it is without size conversion, and the image size conversion circuit 42b outputs the input image (recorded image) in the display area 56.
Reduce the size to match. Display position conversion circuit 44a
Outputs the output image of the circuit 42a as it is, and the display position conversion circuit 44b arranges the reduced image by the circuit 42b at the display position that matches the display area 56. Synthesis circuit 48
Combines the two images so that the output image of the circuit 44b is superposed on the output image of the circuit 44a.

Contrary to the example shown in FIG. 4, it is obvious that the recorded image can be displayed on the entire screen and the photographed image can be displayed in a small size by overlapping the recorded image.

When a plurality of images are stored in the memory circuit 28, a plurality of display areas for recorded images can be set. In the shooting preparation mode after recording two still images on the recording medium 14, as shown in FIG. 5, the display area 56 in FIG.
In addition to this, another recording image display area 58 is set, and the second recording image is displayed there. I want to display an image 2
One image is read from the memory circuit 28, the size and the display position are converted by the conversion circuits 42b and 44b of the image processing circuit 32, and the synthesizing circuit 48 outputs the captured image from the conversion circuit 44a and the 2 from the conversion circuit 44b. An image consisting of two recorded images is combined.

In the case of displaying a plurality of recorded images at the same time, when the image display device 36 has a storage capacity by itself, for example, when it is a ferroelectric liquid crystal display device,
It is prohibited to update the display area of the recorded image which is already displayed, only the image to be newly displayed is read from the memory circuit 28, the size is converted, and the display position is converted to an empty position on the display screen. It may be combined with the captured image by the combining circuit 48.

As described above, the memory circuit 28 is
There is a limit to the number of images that can be stored depending on the memory capacity. Therefore, when the number of recorded images increases and the memory circuit 28 becomes full, the oldest image data is erased in order and the new image data is written. Accordingly, the newly written image is displayed on the screen of the image display device 36 instead of the image erased from the memory circuit 38. In this way, when the screen of the image display device 36 is divided into a plurality of areas, and the images photoelectrically converted by the imaging unit 10 and the images recorded on the recording medium 14 are simultaneously displayed in the respective divided areas, The photographer can shoot while checking the recorded image.

Next, the operation for recording a moving image will be described. The moving image recording mode is set by a still image / moving image selection switch (not shown). In the moving image recording mode, captured images from the time the shooting switch is pressed until the time the switch is released are recorded in the recording medium 14.

That is, when a shooting switch (not shown) is pressed in the shooting mode, the recording signal processing circuit 12 converts the image output from the image pickup unit 10 into a predetermined format until the shooting switch is returned to the recording medium 14. To record. The recording signal processing circuit 12 simultaneously supplies the captured image to the switch 24 via the switch 20. The switch control circuit 26 connects the switch 24 to the b contact while the photographing switch is pressed. Therefore, the captured image (in this case, the recording medium 14
(Moving images recorded in the above) are sequentially written in the memory circuit 28.

The image written in the memory circuit 28 is immediately read and applied to the image processing circuit 32 as in the case of still image recording. The image processing circuit 32 converts each of the moving images from the memory circuit 28 into a predetermined size,
It is arranged at a predetermined display position and supplied to the display signal processing circuit 34. The display signal processing circuit 34 applies the image from the image processing circuit 32 to the image display device 36. This allows
The same moving images that are sequentially recorded on the recording medium 14 are displayed at a predetermined position on the screen of the image display device 36 in a predetermined size, and the photographer views the images currently being recorded on the recording medium 14. It can be confirmed on the screen of the image display device 36.

Here, it is assumed that the same moving image as that recorded on the recording medium 14 is also stored in the memory circuit 28. However, the storage capacity of the memory circuit 28 is usually much smaller than the recording capacity of the recording medium. It may be set. Further, for the purpose of confirming the recorded image, the purpose can be sufficiently achieved with only one predetermined screen in the moving image, for example, the first one screen. From this point of view, only for the first screen recorded on the recording medium 14, the switch 24 is switched to the b contact and the same image is stored in the memory circuit 28. For the subsequent screens, the switch 24 is switched to the a contact, and the image is displayed. It may be displayed on the screen of the display device 36.

In this case, the memory circuit 28 writes the image data of the first screen and reads the image data only once at the same time, and the image processing circuit 32 causes the image of the first screen from the memory circuit 28 and the subsequent switches 24. The image from the a-contact is processed into the same size and display position and supplied to the display signal processing circuit 34. When the switch 24 is of a type that independently selects the connection with the a-contact and the connection with the b-contact, a writing operation is performed on the memory circuit 28 (when writing a still image, one screen, when writing a moving image. Is the same as the number of screens), and the same effect can be obtained.

When the photographing switch is released, the photographing mode returns to the photographing preparation mode, and the recording signal processing circuit 12
Recording of the captured image on the recording medium 14 is completed. In the shooting preparation mode, the switch control circuit 26 sets the switch 24 to
Connect to contacts. The image captured by the image capturing unit 10 is applied to the input terminal 32a of the image processing circuit 32 via the recording signal processing circuit 12 and the switches 20 and 24. The image signal read from the memory circuit 28 is applied to the input terminal 32b of the image processing circuit 32. The image supplied from the memory circuit 28 may be one in which the stored moving images are sequentially read, or one in which one screen of the moving image is repeatedly read.

As in the case of a still image, the image processing circuit 32 displays an image (photographed image) from the a contact of the switch 24,
The images (recorded images) from the memory circuit 28 are transformed and arranged so as to match the display areas set for each, and are synthesized, and the synthesized image signal is supplied to the image display device 36 via the display signal processing circuit 34. To do. In this way, as in the case of recording a still image, the photographer can shoot while checking the recorded image.

The operation of the reproduction mode will be described. A reproduction mode can be set by a mode change switch (not shown). In the regeneration mode, the switch control circuit 22 connects the switch 20 to the b contact, and the switch control circuit 26 connects the switch 24 to the b contact.

The reproduction signal processing circuit 16 reads out a specified image (still image or moving image) from the image recorded on the recording medium 14, processes the reproduction signal, and outputs the reproduction image signal to the external output terminal 1.
8 and the b contact of the switch 20. The reproduction image signal supplied from the reproduction signal processing circuit 16 to the switch 20 is applied to the memory circuit 28 via the switch 24 and written in the memory circuit 28. When the written image is a still image, the written image signal of one screen is repeatedly read, and in the case of a moving image, the image of each screen is read simultaneously if it is written in another storage area.

The reproduced image read from the memory circuit 28 is supplied to the image display device 36 via the image processing circuit 32 and the display signal processing circuit 34, and is displayed as an image. The size and display position of the reproduced image can be arbitrarily set as in the case of the recording mode described above. As a result, the photographer can check the arbitrary image recorded on the recording medium 14 on the screen.

As described above, in the reproduction mode, the recording medium 14
It is assumed that after the image recorded in 1 is reproduced and displayed, the mode is switched to the shooting mode with a mode change switch (not shown). As described above, the switches 20 and 24 are connected to the a-contact, and the image captured by the imaging unit 10 is the switches 20 and 24.
Is applied to the input terminal 32a of the image processing circuit 32 via. The memory circuit 28 stores the image reproduced and displayed in the immediately previous reproduction mode (in the case of a moving image, the entire moving image or a predetermined one screen image in the moving image), and this image is read out. It is applied to the input terminal 32b of the image processing circuit 32. The image processing circuit 32 converts the size and display position of both images and combines them. The composite image signal output from the image processing circuit 32 is applied to the image display device 36 via the display signal processing circuit 34, and an image is displayed. As a result, the image reproduced and displayed in the immediately preceding reproduction mode and the captured image can be simultaneously viewed on the screen. That is, it is possible to shoot while looking at an arbitrary image recorded in the recording medium 14.

In this embodiment, in an electronic camera equipped with an image display device such as an LCD, the display screen of the image display device is divided into a plurality of parts so that the image being photographed and the recorded image can be displayed simultaneously. . This makes it possible to shoot while checking the recorded image on the same screen, so if you want to shoot the same scene again, or you do not want to repeatedly shoot the same scene on the contrary. Very convenient to.

FIG. 6 shows a schematic block diagram of the second embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 is modified so that a processing menu is displayed on the screen and parameters for image processing can be selected on the spot.

Reference numeral 110 is an image sensor, 112 is a recording signal processing circuit, 114 is a recording medium, 116 is a reproduction signal processing circuit,
Reference numeral 118 is an external output terminal, 120 is a switch, 122 is a switch control circuit, 124 is a switch, 126 is a switch control circuit, 128 is a memory circuit, and 130 is a memory control circuit. These are elements in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1
It is the same as 0 to 30.

Reference numeral 132 selects the image signal from the contact a of the switch 124 (specifically, the image signal from the recording signal processing circuit 12) and the image signal from the memory circuit 128 in the same manner as the image processing circuit 32. Alternatively, it is an image processing circuit to be combined, and the only difference is that the image size and display position can be controlled from the outside.

Reference numeral 134 is a display signal processing circuit, and 136 is an image display device, which is the same as the circuits 34 and 36 in FIG.

In this embodiment, the following elements are further provided. That is, 160 is an instruction device for the photographer to select and instruct an image displayed on the screen of the image display device 136 and a processing menu, and specifically, a touch panel mounted on the screen of the image display device 136 or , A pointing device such as a mouse or a trackball. 162
Is a processing setting circuit that sets the processing content according to the selection of the instruction device 160 in the image processing circuit 132. The output of the processing setting circuit 162 is the control circuit 4 of the image processing circuit 132.
Similar to 6, it is applied to a control circuit that controls each unit. The input terminals 132a and 132b of the image processing circuit 132 correspond to the input terminals 32a and 32b of the image processing circuit 32, respectively.

A characteristic operation of the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, that is,
An operation different from that of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 will be described. In the following description, it is assumed that the pointing device 160 is a touch panel.
7, 8 and 9 are examples of display screens in this embodiment. FIG. 7 shows an example in which photographed images are displayed on the entire display screen in the photographing mode, and selection menus 164, 166 and 168 are displayed at the upper right of the screen. The menu 164 is a menu for selecting an image to be operated, the menu 166 is a menu for enlarging / reducing the selected image, and the menu 168 is a menu for moving the selected image on the screen.

First, an example of operation for reducing or enlarging a displayed image will be described. As shown in FIG. 7, when an image (for example, a captured image) is displayed on the entire screen, it is desired to reduce the image. The photographer presses the “select” menu 164 with a pen or the like. As a result, a mode for selecting an image to be operated is entered. Next, the display area of the image to be operated is pressed with a pen or the like. As a result, the image to be operated is selected. The instruction device 160 transmits information indicating the selected image to the process setting circuit 162.

Next, the photographer presses the "enlarge / reduce" menu 166 with a pen or the like. This enters the enlargement / reduction mode. After this, specify the two diagonal points of the new display range to make the size of the image selected earlier,
And the position to display is specified. For example, when it is desired to display the size and position as shown in FIG. 8, two points A and B in FIG. 8 are designated. The coordinate information of these two points is transmitted to the process setting circuit 162.

The process setting circuit 162 provides information for identifying the image selected by the pointing device 160 and control information for the new display area (size and display position) to the control circuit of the image processing circuit 132 (of the image processing circuit 32). Corresponding to the control circuit 46). The image processing circuit 132 sets the image size and display position of the conversion system of the size and display position of the selected image to values according to the control information from the process setting circuit 162. This will cause the selected image to
The size is converted and the display position is converted so that it is displayed in the selected display area. The display screen shown in FIG. 7 becomes a display screen as shown in FIG.

Next, an operation example for moving the display image will be described. For example, assume that it is desired to move the display image from the state shown in FIG. 8 to the state shown in FIG. First, select menu 16
Press 4 to enter the selection mode and select the image you want to move. Then, select the "move" menu 168 to enter the move mode and specify a new display position. For example, the destination of the upper left point of the display image is designated. When it is desired to move to the position shown in FIG. 9, the point C is designated. According to the designation of the destination, the process setting circuit 162 supplies the image processing circuit 132 with information indicating the selected image and control information of the new display position.

The image processing circuit 132 sets the size and display position of the selected image to values according to the control information from the process setting circuit 162. As a result, the selected image moves to the selected position. The selected image is
If the selected position deviates from the entire display screen, whether to remove the deviated part or to correct the position of the movement destination so as to fit the entire display screen depends on the preference of the designer or the user. In this way, the display screen shown in FIG. 8 becomes a display screen as shown in FIG.

7 to 9, the example in which the photographed image is reduced and moved has been described, but it is clear that the reproduced image can be scaled and moved in the same manner even if it is displayed. Further, as described in the first embodiment, when a plurality of images are displayed on the screen, the same operation can be performed on each image.

Also in this embodiment, as in the first embodiment,
Captured images, one or more recorded images, and / or one or more reproduced images can be displayed simultaneously. By providing a function of scaling and moving the displayed image, for example, when you want to make a high-definition image by connecting and shooting a large subject by multiple times of shooting, you can shoot while checking the connection condition. In addition, there is an effect that the shooting result can be easily confirmed. For example, in FIG. 10, one building is intended to be divided into four areas 170A, 170B, 170C, and 170D for shooting, but the recorded image and the image to be recorded next are arranged side by side and are the same. By displaying the size, the joint can be aligned correctly and easily. In the conventional example, the range of the recorded image is confirmed by the photographer's own memory, so that the overlapping portion can only be removed by printing or hard copying. Gaps may occur at the joints.

In this embodiment, for example, a portion corresponding to the area 170A is recorded. The display area of the recorded image is
By the operation described above, as shown in FIG. 11, it is arranged at the lower left of the entire display screen. Next, when photographing a portion corresponding to the area 170B, at the stage of determining the composition, as shown in FIG.
As shown in, the display area of the captured image is set in a portion corresponding to the area 170B adjacent to the area 170A. This makes it possible to accurately determine the joint between the areas 170A and 170B. When the composition is decided, the photographed image is recorded.
Here, the image recorded on the recording medium 14 is displayed in a portion corresponding to the area 170B in the next shooting. In this way, the areas 170A, 170B, 170C, 170
By properly setting the joint of D, four divisions of one subject can be recorded individually.

As described above, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, since the size and display position of the display image can be freely changed, the recorded image and the image being picked up are simultaneously adjusted in accordance with the division position when dividing the image. By displaying, the composition of the image to be captured next, particularly the joint portion of the image, can be easily and correctly determined. In other words, it is possible to realize split shooting, which has required advanced technology until now, with a very simple operation without failure.

FIG. 12 shows a schematic block diagram of a modified embodiment in which an erase menu and an erase function are provided in the embodiment shown in FIG. Reference numeral 210 is an image sensor, 212 is a recording signal processing circuit, 214 is a recording medium, 216 is a reproduction signal processing circuit,
218 is an external output terminal, 220 is a switch, 222 is a switch control circuit, 224 is a switch, 226 is a switch control circuit, 228 is a memory circuit, and 230 is a memory control circuit. The recording medium 214 is the same as the recording medium 14 except that it has a control terminal that accepts an erasing control signal for erasing an arbitrary recorded image from the outside. The memory control circuit 230 is the same as the memory control circuit 30 except that the memory control circuit 230 includes a control terminal that receives an erase control signal for erasing an arbitrary stored image stored in the memory circuit 228 from the outside. Other elements 10, 12, 16-
28 is the same as elements 10-30 in the embodiment shown in FIG.

Reference numeral 232 is an image processing circuit, 234 is a display signal processing circuit, and 236 is an image display device. The image processing circuit 232 is the same as the image processing circuit 132, and the circuit 23
4, 236 are the same as the circuits 34, 36.

Reference numeral 260 is a pointing device similar to the pointing device 160, and 262 is responsive to information from the pointing device 260 to change and set the size and display position of the image designated in the image processing circuit 132, and to the erasing circuit 264 in the recording medium 214. Is a processing setting circuit for erasing the recorded image and the stored image of the memory circuit 228. The output of the process setting circuit 262 is applied to the control circuit of the image processing circuit 232, which controls each part similarly to the control circuit 46. The input terminal 23 of the image processing circuit 232.
2a and 232b correspond to the input terminals 32a and 32b of the image processing circuit 32, respectively.

Also in the embodiment shown in FIG. 12, the recording medium 214 is used.
Since the basic operation is the same as that of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 6 except for the function of erasing the recorded image, the characteristic operation of this embodiment, that is, the erasing operation will be described below.

FIG. 13 shows a screen example of the image display device 236 according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 266 is the entire display screen of the image display device 236, 268 is a display area for displaying a captured image similarly to the display area 54, and 270 is a display area for displaying a recorded first image, like the display area 56. Numeral 272 is a display area for displaying the second image which has been recorded similarly to the display area 58. 274 is a “select” menu, 276 is an “enlarge / reduce” menu, 278 is a “move” menu, and 280 is a “delete” menu. How to use the "select" menu 274, the "enlarge / reduce" menu 276, and the "move" menu 278 and the resulting operation is the menu 16 in the embodiment shown in FIG.
It is the same as 4,166,168.

For example, assume that the user wants to erase the image displayed in the display area 270 from the recording medium 214. At this time, the photographer presses the “select” menu 274 to enter a mode for selecting an image, and thereafter, the portion of the display image to be deleted (here, in the display area 270) is pressed with a pen or the like to select the image. Then press the "Delete" menu 280
This means that the deletion of the image displayed in the display area 270 has been instructed. The pointing device 260 transmits control information indicating erasure of the selected image to the process setting circuit 262, and the process setting circuit 262 accordingly causes the erasing circuit 264 to output the selected image to the recording medium 214 and the memory. Erase from circuit 228. By deleting the selected image from the memory circuit 228, the display area 2 of the image display device 236 is displayed.
Nothing is displayed on 70.

In this way, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 12, the recorded image can be erased by a simple operation even during the preparation for photographing. The troublesome operation of once entering the playback mode, searching for the image to be erased, performing the erasing operation, and returning to the shooting mode again becomes unnecessary.

If a recording medium of substantially random access is used and the access speed of the recording medium and the processing speed of the recording / reproducing system are high, it is apparent that recording and reproduction can be performed simultaneously at the same time. In such a case, a function capable of confirming and erasing a recorded image during the recording operation is desired. For example, if you notice that there is a possibility that the remaining capacity will be less than the required amount during recording, if you can confirm the recorded image that seems unnecessary and erase it while continuing the current recording,
It is convenient. For example, a video recording / reproducing device using a large-capacity hard disk device as a recording medium has already been realized as a video editing device. The technical idea underlying the present invention can be applied to such a video recording / reproducing apparatus.

[0078]

As can be easily understood from the above description, the present invention has the following effects. That is, since the image being photographed and the image already recorded can be displayed at the same time, it is possible to photograph while confirming the recorded image on the same screen. This is very convenient, for example, when it is desired to reshoot the same scene again, or conversely, when it is not desired to repeatedly shoot the same scene.

Since an arbitrary image displayed on the display screen can be scaled up and down and its display position can be moved, the desired image can be displayed freely and easily. For example, it becomes easy to check the joints when a large subject is dividedly photographed, and the divided photographing can be easily performed without requiring any skill.

Further, even during photographing, the recorded image can be erased by a simple operation while confirming it without the need of mode switching.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of an image processing circuit 32.

FIG. 3 is a first screen example of the present embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a second screen example of the present embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a third screen example of the present embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a schematic block diagram of a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an example of a basic screen of the second embodiment.

8 is an example of a screen after the display image on the screen shown in FIG. 7 is reduced.

9 is an example of a screen after the display image shown in FIG. 8 is moved.

FIG. 10 is an example of division of divided photographing.

11 is an example of a screen in the middle of shooting of the split shooting shown in FIG.

FIG. 12 is a schematic block diagram of a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is an example of a screen in the third embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

10: Image sensor 12: Recording signal processing circuit 14: Recording medium 16: Reproduction signal processing circuit 18: External output terminal 20: Switch 22: Switch control circuit 24: Switch 26: Switch control circuit 28: Memory circuit 30: Memory control circuit 32a, 32b: Image input terminal 32: Image processing circuit 34: Display signal processing circuit 36: Image display device 40a, 40b: Buffer memory 42a, 42b: Image size conversion circuit 44a, 44b: Display position conversion circuit 46: Control circuit 48: Synthesizing circuit 50: Output terminal 52: Entire display screen of image display device 54 54: Displayed area of captured image 56: Displayed area of recorded image 58: Displayed area of another recorded image 110: Image sensor 112: Recording signal processing circuit 114: Recording medium 116: Reproduction signal processing circuit 118: External output terminal 20: switch 122: switch control circuit 124: switch 126: switch control circuit 128: memory circuit 130: memory control circuit 132: image processing circuit 132a, 132b: input terminal 134: display signal processing circuit 136: image display device 160: instruction Device 162: Process setting circuit 164: “Select” menu 166: “Enlargement / reduction” menu 168: “Move” menu 170A, 170B, 170C, 170D: Each area of 4-division image capturing 210: Image sensor 212: Recording signal Processing circuit 214: Recording medium 216: Reproduction signal processing circuit 218: External output terminal 220: Switch 222: Switch control circuit 224: Switch 226: Switch control circuit 228: Memory circuit 230: Memory control circuit 232: Image processing circuit 232a, 232b Input terminal 234: display signal processing circuit 236: image display device 260: instruction device 262: processing setting circuit 264: erasing circuit 266: entire display screen 268: display region of captured image 270: display region of first recorded image 272: Second recording image display area 274: “Select” menu 276: “Enlarge / Reduce” menu 278: “Move” menu 280: “Delete” menu

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. An image pickup unit for converting an optical image into an electric signal, a recording medium for recording image information, a recording unit for recording a photographed image obtained by the image pickup unit on the recording medium, and a recording medium for recording the image. Memory means for storing one or more images representative of the captured image, an image processing means for synthesizing the photographed image obtained by the imaging means, and one or more stored images stored in the memory means, and An electronic camera comprising: an image display means for displaying a composite image by the image processing means. 2. The image processing means determines the display size on the screen of the image display device for each of the captured image obtained by the imaging means and the one or more stored images stored in the memory means. First and second to change
Size conversion means and first and second display position conversion means
2. The electronic camera according to claim 1, further comprising: a display position converting unit of 1) and a combining unit that combines the converted images. 3. The image processing means further comprises a designating means for selectively designating at least one image out of the images displayed on the image display means, and a setting means for setting a display size and a display position. The electronic camera according to claim 2, wherein the electronic camera converts the image designated by the designating unit into a display size and a display position set by the setting unit. 4. A designation means for selectively designating at least one image from the stored images displayed on the image display means, and a deletion instruction means for designating deletion of the stored image designated by the designating means. According to the erasing instruction means, the stored image designated by the designating means is erased from the memory means, and the recorded image of the recording medium corresponding to the stored image designated by the designating means is erased from the recording medium. The electronic camera according to claim 1, further comprising: 5. The memory device according to claim 1, wherein when the moving image is recorded on the recording medium, the memory means stores one of the same moving image and a predetermined still image in the moving image. Electronic camera. 6. The memory means stores the same still image when the still image is recorded on the recording medium.
5. The electronic camera according to any one of items 4 to 4. 7. The electronic camera according to claim 1, wherein the memory means erases an old stored image and stores a new image when the stored image reaches a predetermined amount.