JPH1042231A - Digital camera and digital camera system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To safely write and read data to/from a recording medium inserted to a digital camera. SOLUTION: The insertion port of a slot 105 provided so as to insert the recording medium into this digital camera 103 is provided with a card cover 104 for inhibiting the insertion/detachment of the recording medium in a closed state and a switch means 106 for detecting the open closed state of the card cover 104. Then, on the side of a controller 101 for performing communication with the digital camera 103, in detecting that the card cover 104 is opened, by not requesting a read operation and a write operation to the recording medium until the card cover 104 is closed, the safety of the recording medium is secured.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a digital camera for reading and writing data from and to a recording medium inserted therein, and a digital camera system using the same.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an image photographed by a digital camera is displayed on a personal computer (hereinafter referred to as a PC), and conversely, data managed on the PC is recorded on the digital camera. Various systems have been proposed.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing an example of a conventional digital camera system. In FIG. 9, 1003 is P
C denotes a digital camera, and 1007 denotes a digital camera. The digital camera 1007 is provided with a PCMCIA card slot 1008 so that a captured image can be
It can be recorded on a CIA card.

[0004] A cable 1006 connects the PC 1003 and the digital camera 1007, and a serial or parallel cable is used. Through the cable 1006, the PC 1003 can read an image recorded on a PCMCIA card of the digital camera 1007 or write data on the PCMCIA card.

[0005]

In the conventional digital camera system, if the PCMCIA card is removed from the PCMCIA card inserted in the digital camera 1007, for example, while the PC 1003 is reading an image, the PCMCIA card is destroyed. Or something.

When the PC 1003 reads an image or the like from a PCMCIA card while the PC 1003 is removed, if the PC MCIA card is removed, the reading of the image or the like cannot be stopped.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above problems, it is an object of the present invention to enable data to be written and read to and from a recording medium inserted into a digital camera safely.

[0008]

A digital camera according to the present invention is provided at an insertion slot of a slot into which a recording medium is inserted, and in a closed state, prohibits removal and insertion of the recording medium, and a card cover. And a switch means for detecting the open / closed state of the switch.

Another feature of the digital camera according to the present invention is that the open / close state of the card cover is detected, and when the card cover is closed, the recording medium inserted into the slot is used. Reads and writes data, sends the read image data and the result of writing to the outside, and when the card cover is open, does not read or write data on the recording medium, and reads and writes. It is characterized by transmitting the result of the failure to the outside.

Another feature of the digital camera of the present invention is that, when detecting that the card cover is opened, it checks whether or not data is read from or written to the recording medium. When reading and writing, while reading and writing the data is stopped, when it is detected that the card cover is opened,
If the data has not been read or written, the fact that the card cover has been opened is notified to the outside.

Further, a digital camera system according to the present invention comprises a digital camera and a control device for communicating with the digital camera. The digital camera has a cover at a recording medium insertion slot, and the control device includes: It is characterized by comprising a detecting means for detecting the open / closed state of the cover.

According to another feature of the digital camera system of the present invention, when the control unit detects that the cover has been opened, the control unit performs a read operation on the recording medium until the cover is closed. And no write operation is required.

Another feature of the digital camera system of the present invention is that the control device terminates communication with the digital camera when the detecting means detects that the cover is opened. Features.

Another feature of the digital camera system of the present invention is that the control device has a display means, and when the detection means detects that the cover has been opened, the control means before the communication is started. The display means is initialized to a state, and the fact that the cover is opened is displayed on the display means.

[0015]

Since the present invention comprises the above technical means, when a cover provided in a slot formed for inserting a recording medium into a digital camera is opened, it can be detected immediately, and the cover can be detected. In this state, data is not read from or written to the recording medium in the open state, so that the recording medium can be prevented from being accidentally pulled out while data is being read or written.

[0016]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of a digital camera and a digital camera system according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of the present invention.
In FIG. 1, reference numeral 101 denotes a PC, and as described later,
It is composed of a known CPU, RAM, ROM, I / F and the like. Reference numeral 107 denotes a display for displaying images and the like, and reference numeral 108 denotes a keyboard.

103 is a digital camera, 105 is a PCM
This is a CIA card slot, and the digital camera 103 can record a captured digital image on a PCMCIA card (not shown).

Reference numeral 104 denotes a PCMCIA card slot 10
5 is a PCMCIA card cover provided in the insertion slot, and when the cover is closed, the insertion slot of the PCMCIA card slot 105 is hidden, so that the PCMCIA card cannot be inserted or removed.

That is, in the present embodiment, the P
The PCMCIA card can be inserted and removed only when the CMCIA card cover 104 is open.

Reference numeral 106 denotes a PCMCIA card cover 104
Is a card cover switch that detects the open / closed state of
O with the CMCIA card cover 104 completely closed
N, and OFF when open. Reference numeral 102 denotes a serial or parallel cable for connecting the digital camera 103 and the PC 101.
Through the PCMC of the digital camera 103
Import and display images recorded on IA cards,
Alternatively, data can be recorded on a PCMCIA card.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of the PC 101. In FIG. 2, reference numeral 209 denotes hardware; 205, an operating system (OS) that operates on the hardware 209; and 204, application software that operates on the OS 205.

Note that, of the blocks constituting the hardware 209 and the OS 205, blocks which are naturally included as constituent elements but are not directly required for describing the digital camera system of the present embodiment are not shown. Examples of blocks not shown include a CPU and a memory as hardware, and a memory management system as the OS 205.

In FIG. 2, reference numeral 215 denotes a hard disk for physically storing files and data;
5, the file system 208 of the present embodiment has a function of enabling the application software 204 to input and output files without being aware of the hardware 209.

Reference numeral 214 denotes a disk IO interface for the file system 208 to read from and write to the hard disk 215. Reference numeral 207 denotes a drawing management system included in the OS 205, which has a function of enabling the application software 204 to perform drawing without being conscious of the hardware 209.

A video interface 213 allows the drawing management system 207 to draw on the display 217. Reference numeral 206 denotes a device management system that constitutes the OS 205, and the application software 204
Has a function of receiving an input from an externally connected device and performing an output to the device without being conscious of the hardware 209.

Reference numeral 210 denotes a keyboard interface for the device management system 206 to receive input from the keyboard 211;
Reference numeral 06 denotes an input / output port interface for receiving an input from an input / output port such as a parallel or serial port and performing output.

Reference numeral 216 denotes a parallel or serial port to which a parallel or serial cable is connected. Reference numeral 201 denotes a digital camera control system;
A communication control unit 02 requests the digital camera 103 to transmit an image or requests the digital camera 103 to write data. 203
An information display means for displaying data transmitted from the digital camera 103 and displaying the state of the digital camera 103 to a user.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of the digital camera 103. In FIG. 3, reference numeral 304 denotes a CPU for controlling photographing and communication operations, and 301 denotes a read-only memory (RO) for storing programs for photographing and communication.
M) and 302 are memories (RAM) used when executing a program read from the ROM 301, 303 is an input / output port such as parallel or serial, and 305 is an imaging unit that generates an electric signal of an image, and is a CCD or the like. It is configured.

Reference numeral 306 denotes a PCM corresponding to 105 in FIG.
CIA card slot 307 is PCMC
This is a card cover switch for detecting the open / closed state of the IA card cover 104, and corresponds to the card cover switch 106 in FIG.

Next, the operation of the digital camera system according to the present embodiment will be described. First, the digital camera 103 and P
The operation of the digital camera 103 when the C101 and the C101 are connected by the cable 102 to perform communication will be described. FIG. 4 shows that the PC 101 is connected to the digital camera 103.
9 is a flowchart illustrating an operation when a request to transmit data such as an image in an MCIA card is transmitted or a request to write data to a PCMCIA card is transmitted.

As shown in FIG. 4, first, at step 403
Then, the CPU 304 of the digital camera 103 checks the state of the card cover switch 307. Then, the state of the card cover switch 307 is ON, that is, PCMC
If the IA card cover 104 has been closed, the process proceeds to step 401, where the CPU 30 of the digital camera 103
Reference numeral 4 reads and writes data from and to the PCMCIA card inserted into the PCMCIA card slot 306.

Next, the process proceeds to step 402, where the read image data and the result of writing are transferred from the input / output port 303 to the PC 101.

On the other hand, as a result of the determination in step 403, the PC
When the MCIA card cover is open, the process proceeds to step 402 without reading or writing data, and transmits to the PC 101 a result indicating that reading and writing could not be performed.

By performing the processing described above, P
Despite the CMCIA card cover being open,
Even if a write or read request is made to the PCMCIA card, actual reading and writing can be prevented. Therefore, in the digital camera system of the present embodiment, data writing and reading can be performed safely.

FIG. 5 shows that the card cover switch 307 is
10 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of an interrupt process executed when the CPU detects that the FF has been reached, that is, the PCMCIA card cover has been opened.

First, in step 503, PCMCIA
Check whether data is being read from or written to the card. If the result of determination in step 503 is that reading and writing are being performed, the flow advances to step 501 to stop reading and writing data, and further to step 502.

On the other hand, if the result of determination in step 503 is that data is not being read or written, step 501 is jumped to proceed directly to step 502. In step 502, the PC 101 is notified via the input / output port 303 that the PCMCIA card cover has been opened.

The opening of the PCMCIA card cover means that the PCMCIA card inserted in the PCMCIA card slot 306 may be immediately removed. Therefore, in order to prevent the PCMCIA card from being removed during data reading / writing, data reading / writing is stopped, and the PC 101 is notified that the PCMCIA card cover has been opened.

Conversely, when the PCMCIA card cover is closed, that is, when the CPU 304 detects that the card cover switch 307 has been turned on by interruption or the like, the PC 101 notifies the PC 101 that the PCMCIA card cover has been closed. .

Next, the digital camera 103 and the PC 101
The operation of the PC 101 when the PC 101 and the PC 101 are connected by the cable 102 to perform communication will be described. FIG. 8 illustrates an operation when a request to read an image in the PCMCIA card inserted into the digital camera 103 or write data to the PCMCIA card is issued by the user.

First, in step 905, the PC 10
It is checked whether communication between the digital camera 1 and the digital camera 103 has been started. If the result of this determination is that communication has not been started, the operation proceeds to step 906, where the communication control means 2
02 establishes communication with the digital camera 103. This is performed by transmitting a predetermined signal from the input / output port 216 to the digital camera 103.

Next, at step 901, PCMC
Check whether the IA card cover is open. If the PCMCIA card cover is open, the process proceeds to step 903 without transmitting a request, and a message that processing cannot be performed because the card cover is open is displayed to the user. finish. Thus, even if the user issues a data read / write request while the PCMCIA card cover of the digital camera 103 is open, the data is not actually read / written.

If it is determined in step 901 that the PCMCIA card cover is closed, or
If it is determined in step 905 that communication has already been established, the flow advances to step 902 to transmit a data read / write request to the digital camera 103.

Next, the routine proceeds to step 904, where the result is displayed. Then, in the next step 908, it is checked whether any other request remains. As a result of this investigation, if there is a request, the process returns to step 902 to further transmit the request. This is performed when reading a plurality of images or writing a plurality of data. If no other request remains in step 908, the operation ends.

FIG. 6 shows the communication control means 20 on the PC 101.
2 is a flowchart showing an operation when notified that the PCMCIA card cover of the digital camera 103 has been opened. First, in step 603, the digital camera 1
It is determined whether a result of a request to read or write data transmitted to the H.03 is waiting.

As a result of this determination, if the result of the request is awaited, the process proceeds to step 601 to return the screen to the state before the communication, and further, as shown in the display example of FIG. A message is displayed to the user indicating that data cannot be read or written because the card cover was opened.

On the other hand, if the result of determination in step 603 is that the requested result has not been waited for, the process proceeds to step 604,
The screen is returned to the state before the communication, and the user is informed that the PCMCIA card cover has been opened.

When the processing of step 601 or 604 is completed, the process proceeds to step 602, where a request for reading or writing data remains in addition to the request waiting for the result in step 603, such as when reading or writing a plurality of data. To clear it without sending it.

Thus, it is possible to prevent the personal computer from requesting reading and writing of data while the recording medium of the digital camera 103 is easily taken out. Then, the communication is terminated in step 605. Thereafter, even if the user issues a data read / write request to the PCMCIA card, the digital camera 1 is operated by the above-described operation of FIG. 8 until the card cover is closed.
03 will not be sent.

(Other Embodiments of the Present Invention) The present invention is applied to a system composed of a plurality of devices (for example, a host computer, an interface device, a reader, a printer, etc.), and is applied to one device (for example, a copying machine). , A facsimile machine).

In order to realize the functions of the above-described embodiment, the various devices are operated so as to realize the functions of the above-described embodiments, and the devices connected to the various devices or the computers in the system are realized. The present invention also includes a program that is implemented by supplying the program code of the software described above and operating the various devices according to a program stored in a computer (CPU or MPU) of the system or apparatus.

In this case, the program code of the software implements the functions of the above-described embodiment, and the program code itself and means for supplying the program code to a computer are provided.
For example, a storage medium storing such a program code constitutes the present invention. As a storage medium for storing such a program code, for example, a floppy disk, hard disk, optical disk, magneto-optical disk, CD-ROM,
A magnetic tape, a nonvolatile memory card, a ROM, or the like can be used.

When the computer executes the supplied program code, not only the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized, but also the OS (Operating System) or other operating system running on the computer. Needless to say, the program code is also included in the embodiment of the present invention when the functions of the above-described embodiment are realized in cooperation with application software or the like.

Further, after the supplied program code is stored in the memory provided in the function expansion board of the computer or the function expansion unit connected to the computer, the function expansion board or the function expansion unit is operated based on the instruction of the program code. It is needless to say that the present invention also includes a case where a CPU or the like provided in the first embodiment performs part or all of the actual processing, and the processing realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments.

[0055]

As described above, according to the present invention, the digital camera according to the present invention has the card cover for inhibiting the insertion and removal of the recording medium in the closed state, and the switch means for detecting the open / closed state of the card cover. In a state where there is a possibility that the recording medium inserted in the slot may be pulled out, data can be read and written, thereby preventing inconvenience.

Further, according to the digital camera system of the present invention, when it is detected that the cover is opened, the reading and writing of data on the recording medium can be stopped in accordance with the detection, so that the digital camera system can be used. The control device does not require reading and writing of data in a state where the recording medium inserted in the camera is easily taken out, so that the security of the recording medium can be ensured. Thus, it is possible to prevent the system from being inoperable due to the removal of the recording medium while the control device is reading an image or the like from the recording medium.

Further, according to another feature of the present invention, the communication is terminated immediately after the cover is opened, so that an effect that unnecessary communication is not required can be obtained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram illustrating an embodiment of a digital camera system according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of a personal computer constituting the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a digital camera constituting the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an operation when a digital camera reads and writes data in response to a request from a personal computer.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of the digital camera when the PCMCIA card cover is opened.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the operation of the personal computer when the PCMCIA card cover of the digital camera is opened.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of a screen displayed on a personal computer.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating an operation when the personal computer requests the digital camera to read and write data.

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example of a conventional digital camera system.

[Explanation of symbols]

 101 PC 102 Cable 103 Digital Camera 104 PCMCIA Card Cover 105 PCMCIA Card Slot 106 Card Cover Switch 107 Display

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A card cover provided at an insertion slot of a slot into which a recording medium is inserted, wherein the card cover prohibits removal and insertion of the recording medium in a closed state, and switch means for detecting an open / closed state of the card cover. A digital camera. 2. An open / close state of the card cover is detected,
When the card cover is closed, data is read or written from a recording medium inserted in the slot, and the read image data and the result of writing are transmitted to the outside, and the card cover is opened. 2. The digital camera according to claim 1, wherein when the data is read, the data is not read from or written to the recording medium, and a result indicating that the data cannot be read or written is transmitted to the outside. 3. When it is detected that the card cover is opened, it is checked whether or not data is being read / written from / to the recording medium. And detecting that the card cover has been opened and notifying the outside that the card cover has been opened if data reading and writing has not been performed when the card cover is opened. The digital camera according to claim 1. 4. A digital camera, comprising: a control device that communicates with the digital camera; the digital camera includes a cover at a recording medium insertion slot; and the control device detects an open / closed state of the cover. A digital camera system comprising detection means. 5. The digital camera system according to claim 4, wherein the control device performs a read operation and a write operation on the recording medium until the cover is closed when the detection unit detects that the cover is opened. Digital camera system characterized by not requiring. 6. The digital camera system according to claim 4, wherein the control device terminates communication with the digital camera when the detection unit detects that the cover has been opened. Camera system. 7. The digital camera system according to claim 6, wherein the control device includes a display unit, and when the detection unit detects that the cover has been opened, the display unit displays the state before starting communication. A digital camera system for initializing the means and displaying on the display means that the cover has been opened.