JPH11205719A - Image processing unit - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To utilize effectively a display area on which no thumb nail image is displayed in the case of displaying the thumb nail or the like. SOLUTION: In the case that one display screen P is divided into pluralities of division display areas and a thumbnail image (SN(A)-SN(E)) is displayed on each division display area, an auxiliary image with prescribed contents is displayed on a non-display area on which the thumbnail (SN(A)-SN(E)) is not displayed. Thus, display contents appealing to any visual sense of the user are given to the non-display area on which only a single color or the like has been displayed by a conventional unit so far.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus capable of performing image processing for displaying a plurality of images on one screen, for example.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, as a method for searching for a file of image data such as a moving image or a still image recorded on a certain type of recording medium, a so-called plurality of thumbnail images are displayed as a table of contents (thumbnail display). ) To perform a search. The thumbnail image is an image in which a representative screen of a still image or a moving image, which is representative for each file recorded on a recording medium, is displayed in one screen in a form smaller than usual. .

FIG. 11 shows an example of a display form of a thumbnail. In general, when thumbnail display is performed, one display screen P is divided into a plurality of divided display areas, for example, as shown in FIG. In this case, 1
A case where the screen is divided into nine divided display areas is shown. Here, for the sake of convenience,
The number shown by is attached. Then, for example, thumbnail images of respective files recorded on a certain recording medium are attached to these divided display areas and displayed. In this case, among the image data recorded on the recording medium, for example, the user specifies five files by a predetermined operation, and thumbnail images SN (A) to
The state in which SN (E) is displayed for the divided display area ~ is shown.

By displaying thumbnails in this manner, for example, a user can visually grasp the contents of an image file recorded on the recording medium, and can quickly and easily find a desired file. It is possible to search accurately. For example, generally, a plurality of thumbnail images SN (A) to SN displayed as shown in FIG.
In (E), the user selects a thumbnail image corresponding to a desired file with a cursor or the like and performs an operation such as a click. Then, for example, the image data of the file corresponding to the thumbnail image selected by the user is reproduced from the recording medium and displayed on the display screen P in a normal size.

[0005]

By the way, in actual thumbnail display, a case where the number of thumbnail images to be displayed in the divided display area is smaller than the number of divided display areas prepared in advance may naturally occur. Things. For example, in the case of the thumbnail display shown in FIG. 11, the number of divided display areas prepared in advance is nine, while the number of thumbnail images is five. For this reason, in FIG.
The thumbnail image is not displayed in the display area corresponding to. In such a case, for the divided display area where no thumbnail image is displayed, for example,
The display is performed in a predetermined single color such as black or blue (or green) called a blue background, or the display is performed in the same color as the background screen.

[0006] In such a thumbnail display mode, a part of the divided display area where no thumbnail image is displayed is not necessarily presented with such information depending on the viewpoint, so that the entire display screen is not necessarily used effectively. It does not mean that Moreover, it tends to be visually uninteresting.

[0007]

In view of the above-mentioned problems, the present invention divides one display screen into a certain number of divided display areas and displays an image on each of the divided display areas. As an image processing apparatus capable of performing image processing for causing the image data to be processed, storage means capable of storing image data having predetermined contents, and displaying one or a plurality of image data as a main image in each of the divided display areas. At this time, if the number of the divided display areas for displaying the main image is less than the total number of the divided display areas, the image data obtained by reading out from the storage means is added to each of the divided display areas where the main image is not displayed. The image processing apparatus is provided with an image processing means capable of executing image processing for displaying an image.

According to the above configuration, for example, an image as a sub-image can be displayed in a divided display area where a main image such as a thumbnail image is not displayed. Considering the content of the divided display area according to the actual use environment or the like, it is possible to use a part of the divided display area where the main image is not displayed as a display area having some significance.

[0009]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, an image processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described. The image processing apparatus of the present example is a case where the image processing apparatus is mounted on a portable video camera in which a camera device unit and a recording / reproducing device unit capable of recording and reproducing images (still images or moving images) and audio are integrated. For example. Further, the recording / reproducing device section mounted on the video camera of the present embodiment adopts a configuration for recording and reproducing data corresponding to a so-called mini disk, which is known as a kind of magneto-optical disk. The description will be made in the following order. 1. Disk format 2. 2. External configuration of video camera 3. Internal configuration of video camera 4. Configuration of media drive section 5. Thumbnail display of the present embodiment (5-1. Example of disk structure) (5-2. Example of form of thumbnail display) Processing operation 7. Modified example

[0010] 1. Disc Format The recording / reproducing device section mounted on the video camera of this example is assumed to be compatible with a format called MD data, which records / reproduces data in correspondence with a mini disc (magneto-optical disc). . As this MD data format, two types of formats called MD-DATA1 and MD-DATA2 have been developed, but the video camera of this example is capable of recording at higher density than MD-DATA1. It is assumed that recording and reproduction are performed in accordance with the format. So first, MD
-Disc format of DATA2 will be described.

FIGS. 1 and 2 conceptually show an example of a track structure of a disk as MD-DATA2. FIGS. 2A and 2B are a cross-sectional view and a plan view, respectively, showing an enlarged portion enclosed by a broken line A in FIG. As shown in these figures, two types of grooves (grooves) are previously formed on the disk surface: a wobbled groove WG provided with wobbles (meandering) and a non-wobbled groove NWG provided with no wobble. It is formed. The wobbled groove WG and the non-wobbled groove NWG
Exist in a double spiral on the disk so as to form a land Ld therebetween.

In the MD-DATA2 format, the land Ld is used as a track. Since the wobbled groove WG and the non-wobbled groove NWG are formed as described above, the track Tr / A is used as the track. , Tr and B are independently formed on a double spiral. The track Tr · A is a track in which the wobbled groove WG is located on the outer peripheral side of the disk and the non-wobbled groove NWG is located on the inner peripheral side of the disk. On the other hand, the track Tr · B is a track in which the wobbled groove WG is located on the inner peripheral side of the disk and the non-wobbled groove NWG is located on the outer peripheral side of the disk. That is,
It can be considered that a wobble is formed only on one side on the outer circumference side of the disk with respect to the track Tr.A, and a wobble is formed only on one side on the inner circumference side of the disk as the track Tr.B. In this case, the track pitches are adjacent to the track Tr · A and the track Tr · A.
B is the distance between the centers, and the track pitch is 0.95 μm as shown in FIG.

Here, the wobbles formed in the groove as the wobbled groove WG are formed based on a signal in which a physical address on the disk is encoded by FM modulation + biphase modulation. Therefore, it is possible to extract the physical address on the disc by demodulating the reproduction information obtained from the wobbling given to the wobbled groove WG at the time of recording / reproduction. Further, the address information as the wobbled groove WG is commonly effective for the tracks Tr · A and Tr · B. In other words, the track Tr · A located on the inner periphery of the wobbled groove WG and the track Tr · B located on the outer periphery share the address information by the wobbling given to the wobbled groove WG. . Note that such an addressing scheme is also called an interlace addressing scheme. By adopting this interlace addressing method, for example, it is possible to reduce the track pitch while suppressing crosstalk between adjacent wobbles. For a method of recording an address by forming a wobble in a groove, A
Also called DIP (Adress In Pregroove) method.

The identification of which one of the tracks Tr.A and Tr.B sharing the same address information is being traced as described above can be performed as follows. For example, in a state where the main beam is tracing a track (land Ld) by applying a three-beam method, the remaining two side beams trace grooves located on both sides of the track being traced by the main beam. It is possible to make it.

FIG. 2B shows a specific example in which the main beam spot SPm traces the track Tr · A. In this case, of the two side beam spots SPs1 and SPs2, the inner side beam spot SPs1 traces the non-wobbled groove NWG and the outer side beam spot S
Ps2 traces the wobbled groove WG. On the other hand, although not shown, if the main beam spot SPm traces the tracks Tr and B, the side beam spot SPs1 traces the wobbled groove WG and the side beam spot SP
s2 traces the non-wobbled groove NWG. Thus, the main beam spot SPm
Tracing the track Tr · A and the track T
In the case of tracing r · B, the grooves to be traced by the side beam spots SPs1 and SPs2 are necessarily replaced by the wobbled groove WG and the non-wobbled groove NWG.

Side beam spots SPs1, SPs2
As a detection signal obtained by the photodetector due to the reflection of light, different waveforms are obtained depending on which of the wobbled groove WG and the non-wobbled groove NWG is being traced. By determining which of the side beam spots SPs1 and SPs2 traces the wobbled groove WG (or the non-wobbled groove NWG), the main beam is moved to the tracks Tr · A,
Which of Tr and B is being traced can be identified.

FIG. 3 shows the main specifications of the MD-DATA2 format having the track structure as described above.
It is a figure shown in comparison with D-DATA1 format.
First, in the MD-DATA1 format, the track pitch is 1.6 μm and the pit length is 0.59 μm / bi.
t. The laser wavelength λ is set to 780 nm, and the aperture ratio NA of the optical head is set to 0.45. As a recording method, a groove recording method is adopted. That is, the groove is used as a track for recording and reproduction. As a method of addressing, a method of forming a groove (track) by a single spiral and using a wobbled groove in which wobbles are formed as address information on both sides of the groove is adopted.

As a modulation method of recording data, EFM (8
-14 conversion). As an error correction method, ACIRC (Advanced Cross Interleave Reed-
Solomon Code) and a convolutional data interleave. Therefore, the data redundancy is 46.3%.

In the MD-DATA1 format, a CLV (Constant Linear V) is used as a disk drive system.
erocity) is adopted, and the linear velocity of CLV is
1.2 m / s. The standard data rate during recording and reproduction is 133 kB / s, and the recording capacity is 140 MB.

On the other hand, the MD-DATA2 format which can be supported by the video camera of this embodiment has a track pitch of 0.95 μm and a pit length of 0.39 μm / b.
It can be seen that both are shorter than the MD-DATA1 format. For example, in order to realize the pit length, the laser wavelength λ = 650 nm and the aperture ratio NA of the optical head are set to 0.52, thereby narrowing the beam spot diameter at the in-focus position and expanding the band as an optical system. .

As described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, a land recording method is adopted as a recording method, and an interlace addressing method is adopted as an address method. As a modulation method of recording data, an RLL (1,7) method (RLL;
Run Length Limited), an RS-PC method is used as an error correction method, and a block complete type is used as data interleaving. As a result of adopting each of the above methods, the data redundancy can be suppressed to 19.7%.

Also in the MD-DATA2 format, CLV is adopted as a disk drive system, but its linear velocity is 2.0 m / s, and the standard data rate for recording / reproducing is 589 kB / s. It is said. As a result, a recording capacity of 650 MB can be obtained. Compared with the MD-DATA1 format, this means that a high-density recording of almost four times is realized. For example, assuming that a moving image is to be recorded in the MD-DATA2 format, MPEG
In the case where the compression encoding by 2 is performed, it is possible to record a moving image of 15 minutes to 17 minutes in time, depending on the bit rate of the encoded data. Also, assuming that only audio signal data is recorded, the ATR
When a compression process using AC (Adaptive Transform Acoustic Coding) 2 is performed, recording can be performed for about 10 hours.

2. 6A, 6B, and 6C are a side view, a plan view, and a rear view showing an example of the appearance of the video camera of this example. As shown in these figures, the main body 200 of the video camera of the present embodiment includes:
A camera lens 201 provided with an imaging lens and a diaphragm for taking a picture is provided so as to be exposed. A pair of left and right microphones 202 is provided. That is, in this video camera, recording of an image taken by the camera lens 201 and
It is possible to record stereo sound collected by the microphone 202.

The display unit 6 is provided on the side of the main body 200.
A, a speaker 205 and an indicator 206 are provided. The display unit 6A is a part that displays and outputs a captured image, an image reproduced by an internal recording and reproducing device, and the like. The display device actually used as the display unit 6A is not particularly limited here,
For example, a liquid crystal display or the like may be used. Also,
The display unit 6A also displays a message such as characters or characters for notifying the user of a required message in accordance with the operation of the device. Speaker 20
5 reproduces the recorded voice when reproducing the recorded voice, and also outputs a required message voice such as a beep sound. The indicator 206 emits light during a recording operation, for example, to indicate to the user that the video camera is performing a recording operation.

A viewfinder 204 is provided on the back side of the main body 200, and displays an image taken from the camera lens 201, a character image, and the like during a recording operation and a standby state. The user can shoot while looking at the viewfinder 204. Further, the disc slot 203, the video output terminal T
1. A headphone / line terminal T2 and an I / F terminal T3 are provided. The disk slot 203 is a slot portion for inserting or ejecting a disk as a recording medium corresponding to the video camera of this example. The video output terminal T1 is a terminal for outputting a reproduced image signal or the like to an external video device, and the headphone / line terminal T2 is a terminal for outputting a reproduced audio signal to an external audio device or headphones. The I / F terminal T3 is, for example, an input / output terminal of an interface for performing data transmission with an external data device.

Furthermore, various parts (300 to 309) for user operation are provided in each part of the main body 200. The main dial 300 is for turning on / off the video camera.
An operator for setting off, recording operation, and reproduction operation. When the main dial is at the "OFF" position as shown in the figure, the power is off. When the main dial is turned to the "STBY" position, the power is turned on and the recording operation is in a standby state. Further, by turning to the position of “PB”, the power is turned on and a standby state of the reproducing operation is set.

The release key 301 functions as a recording start or a recording shutter operator when in a recording standby state.

A zoom key 304 is an operator for operating a zoom state (tele side to wide side) regarding image shooting. The eject key 305 is
This is an operator for ejecting the disc loaded in the inside. Play / pause key 306, stop key 307,
Search keys 308 and 309 are prepared for various operations during reproduction with respect to the disc.

Further, in the present embodiment, a thumbnail mode key 310 for setting a thumbnail display mode for performing a thumbnail display, which will be described later, On the screen, there are provided a cross key 311 for performing a moving operation of a pointer or the like in the left, right, up and down directions, and a click key 312 for performing a predetermined selecting operation or an enter operation on a thumbnail display screen or the like. .

Note that the appearance of the video camera shown in FIG. 6 is merely an example, and may be appropriately changed according to the usage conditions and the like actually required for the video camera of this embodiment. Of course, various types of operation elements, operation methods, and connection terminals with external devices can be considered.

3. FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an example of the internal configuration of the video camera of the present embodiment. The lens block 1 shown in FIG. 1 includes, for example, an optical system 11 actually including an imaging lens and a diaphragm. The camera lens 201 shown in FIG. 6 is included in the optical system 11. The lens block 1 includes a focus motor for causing the optical system 11 to perform an autofocus operation, a zoom motor for moving the zoom lens based on the operation of the zoom key 304, and the like.
Provided as

The camera block 2 is provided with a circuit for mainly converting image light captured by the lens block 1 into a digital image signal. For the CCD (Charge Coupled Device) 21 of the camera block 2,
An optical image of the subject transmitted through the optical system 11 is provided. C
In the CD 21, an image pickup signal is generated by performing photoelectric conversion on the optical image, and a sample hold / AGC (A
utomatic Gain Control) circuit 22. The sample hold / AGC circuit 22 adjusts the gain of the imaging signal output from the CCD 21 and performs waveform shaping by performing sample hold processing. The output of the sample hold / AGC circuit 2 is a video A / D
By being supplied to the converter 23, it is converted into digital image signal data.

The above-mentioned CCD 21, sample hold / AG
Signal processing timing in the C circuit 22 and the video A / D converter 23 is controlled by a timing signal generated by a timing generator 24. The timing generator 24 receives a clock used for signal processing in a data processing / system control circuit 31 (in the video signal processing circuit 3) described later and generates a required timing signal based on the clock. Is done. Thereby, the signal processing timing in the camera block 2 is synchronized with the processing timing in the video signal processing unit 3. Camera controller 2
Reference numeral 5 is for performing necessary control so that each of the functional circuit units provided in the camera block 2 operates properly, and for performing autofocus, automatic exposure adjustment, aperture adjustment, zooming, and the like on the lens block 1. Is controlled. For example, in the case of auto-focus control, the camera controller 25 performs, based on focus control information obtained in accordance with a predetermined
Controls the rotation angle of the focus motor. As a result, the imaging lens is driven to be in the just-focused state.

At the time of recording, the video signal processing unit 3 performs a compression process on the digital image signal supplied from the camera block 2 and a digital audio signal obtained by collecting sound by the microphone 202, and compresses the compressed data. The data is supplied to the subsequent media drive unit 4 as user recording data. Further, an image generated from the digital image signal and the character image supplied from the camera block 2 is supplied to the viewfinder drive unit 207 and displayed on the viewfinder 204. Further, at the time of reproduction, demodulation processing is performed on user reproduction data (data read from the disk 51) supplied from the media drive unit 4, that is, image signal data and audio signal data that have been subjected to compression processing, and these are reproduced. , And output as a reproduced audio signal.

In this embodiment, as a compression / expansion processing method of image signal data (image data), MPEG (Moving Picture Experts Group) 2 is adopted for moving images, and JPEG (Joint Photographic) is applied for still images.
Coding Experts Group). The audio signal data compression / expansion processing method includes ATR
AC (Adaptive Transform Acoustic Coding) 2 shall be adopted.

The data processing / system control circuit 31 of the video signal processing section 3 mainly performs control processing relating to compression / expansion processing of image signal data and audio signal data in the video signal processing section 3 and video signal processing section 3. Executes the process for controlling the input and output of data passing through. The data processing / system control circuit 31
The control processing for the entire video signal processing unit 3 including
The video controller 38 is made to execute. The video controller 38 includes, for example, a microcomputer and the like, and can communicate with the camera controller 25 of the camera block 2 and a driver controller 46 of the media drive unit 4 described later via, for example, a bus line (not shown). Have been.

As a basic operation at the time of recording in the video signal processing section 3, the image signal data supplied from the video A / D converter 23 of the camera block 2 is input to the data processing / system control circuit 31. The data processing / system control circuit 31 supplies the input image signal data to, for example, the motion detection circuit 35. The motion detection circuit 35 performs image processing such as motion compensation on the input image signal data while using the memory 36 as a work area, and then supplies the processed image signal data to the MPEG2 video signal processing circuit 33.

The MPEG2 video signal processing circuit 33 performs compression processing on the input image signal data in accordance with the MPEG2 format while using, for example, the memory 34 as a work area, and generates a bit stream (MPEG2) of compressed data as a moving image. Bit stream). In the MPEG2 video signal processing circuit 33, for example, when extracting image data as a still image from image signal data as a moving image and performing compression processing on the extracted image data, the compressed image data as a still image in accordance with the JPEG format is used. Is configured to generate It should be noted that JPEG was not adopted and MPEG
As compressed image data in the second format, an I picture (Intra Picture), which is regular image data, may be treated as still image data. MPEG
The image signal data (compressed image data) compressed and encoded by the two-video signal processing circuit 33 is written into the buffer memory 32 at a predetermined transfer rate and temporarily stored. In the MPEG2 format, as is well known, a so-called encoding bit rate (data rate) is used as a constant bit rate (CBR).
ate) and a variable bit rate (VBR), and the video signal processing unit 3 can cope with these.

The audio compression encoder / decoder 37 includes:
A / D converter 64 (display / image / audio input / output unit 6)
For example, the sound collected by the microphone 202 is input as digital sound signal data. The audio compression encoder / decoder 37 performs compression processing on the input audio signal data in accordance with the ATRAC2 format as described above. This compressed audio signal data is also written into the buffer memory 32 by the data processing / system control circuit 31 at a predetermined transfer rate, and is temporarily stored here.

As described above, the compressed image data and the compressed audio signal data can be stored in the buffer memory 32. The buffer memory 32 mainly absorbs a speed difference between the data transfer rate between the camera block 2 or the display / image / audio input / output unit 6 and the buffer memory 32 and the data transfer rate between the buffer memory 32 and the media drive unit 4. Has a function for Buffer memory 3
The compressed image data and the compressed audio signal data stored in 2 are read out sequentially at a predetermined timing during recording, and transmitted to the MD-DATA2 encoder / decoder 41 of the media drive unit 4. However, for example, during the reproduction, the reading of the data stored in the buffer memory 32 and the operation of recording the read data from the media drive unit 4 to the disk 51 via the deck unit 5 are performed intermittently. No problem. Such control of writing and reading data to and from the buffer memory 32 is executed by, for example, the data processing / system control circuit 31.

The operation at the time of reproduction in the video signal processing section 3 is roughly as follows. At the time of reproduction, compressed image data and compressed audio signal data (user reproduction data) read from the disk 51 and decoded according to the MD-DATA2 format by the processing of the MD-DATA2 encoder / decoder 41 (in the media drive unit 4) Data processing / system control circuit 31
Will be transmitted. The data processing / system control circuit 31 temporarily stores the input compressed image data and compressed audio signal data in the buffer memory 32, for example. Then, the compressed image data and the compressed audio signal data are read from the buffer memory 32 at a required timing and at a transfer rate at which the reproduction time axis can be matched.
The compressed audio signal data is supplied to the video signal processing circuit 33, and the compressed audio signal data is supplied to the audio compression encoder / decoder 37.

In the MPEG2 video signal processing circuit 33,
Decompresses the input compressed image data,
It is transmitted to the data processing / system control circuit 31. In the data processing / system control circuit 31,
The expanded image signal data is supplied to the video D / A converter 61 (in the display / image / audio input / output unit 6). The audio compression encoder / decoder 37 performs an expansion process on the input compressed audio signal data,
/ A converter 65 (in display / image / audio input / output unit 6)
To supply.

In the display / image / audio input / output unit 6,
The image signal data input to the video D / A converter 61 is converted into an analog image signal here, and is branched and input to the display controller 62 and the composite signal processing circuit 63. The display controller 62 drives the display unit 6A based on the input image signal. As a result, a reproduced image is displayed on the display unit 6A. Further, in the display unit 6A, not only an image obtained by reproducing from the disk 51 but also a captured image obtained by photographing with a camera part including the lens block 1 and the camera block 2 is naturally displayed. It is possible to display and output almost in real time. Further, in addition to the reproduced image and the captured image, as described above, a message display such as a character or a character for notifying the user of a required message in accordance with the operation of the device is also performed. Such a message display should be output from the data processing / system control circuit 31 to the video D / A converter 61 so that required characters, characters, and the like are displayed at predetermined positions under the control of the video controller 38, for example. Processing for synthesizing image signal data of required characters, characters, and the like may be performed on the image signal data.

The composite signal processing circuit 63 converts the analog image signal supplied from the video D / A converter 61 into a composite signal and outputs it to the video output terminal T1. For example, if a connection is made to an external monitor device or the like via the video output terminal T1, an image reproduced by the video camera can be displayed on the external monitor device.

In the display / image / audio input / output section 6, the audio signal data input from the audio compression encoder / decoder 37 to the D / A converter 65 is converted into an analog audio signal here, and the signals are supplied to a headphone / line terminal. T
2 is output. In addition, the analog audio signal output from the D / A converter 65 is also branched and output to the speaker SP via the amplifier 66, whereby the reproduced audio and the like are output from the speaker SP. Become.

In this embodiment, an auxiliary image data memory 39 is provided in the video signal processing section 3.
The auxiliary image data memory 39 stores auxiliary image data, which is image data used to display a divided display area where a thumbnail image of an image file is not displayed at the time of thumbnail display of the present example described later. Is done. As a storage element actually employed as the auxiliary image data memory 39, for example, a ROM is employed.
It is conceivable that image data having the contents of a factory preset is stored and cannot be rewritten, or a flash EEPROM (Electrica
lly Erasable and Programmable Read only memory), etc., and store the auxiliary image data created by the video camera manufacturer in the factory preset state, for example, add the contents of the auxiliary image data by the user later It is also conceivable to make it rewritable or rewritable.

At the time of recording, the media drive unit 4 mainly encodes the recording data in accordance with the MD-DATA2 format so as to conform to the disc recording and transmits the encoded data to the deck unit 5. By performing decoding processing on the read data, reproduction data is obtained and transmitted to the video signal processing unit 3.

The MD-DAT of the media drive unit 4
When recording, the A2 encoder / decoder 41
Recording data (compressed image data + compressed audio signal data) is input from the data processing / system control circuit 31, the recording data is subjected to a predetermined encoding process in accordance with the MD-DATA2 format, and the encoded data is temporarily stored. The data is stored in the buffer memory 42. Then, the data is transmitted to the deck unit 5 while being read at a required timing.

At the time of reproduction, the digital reproduction signal read from the disk 51 and input via the RF signal processing circuit 44 and the binarization circuit 43 is subjected to MD-DAT.
A decoding process according to the A2 format is performed, and the data is transmitted to the data processing / system control circuit 31 of the video signal processing unit 3 as reproduction data. Also at this time, if necessary, the reproduced data is temporarily stored in the buffer memory 42, and the data read therefrom at a required timing is transmitted to the data processing / system control circuit 31 for output. Such writing / reading control for the buffer memory 42 is performed by the driver controller 46. Note that, for example, when the servo is disengaged due to disturbance or the like during reproduction of the disk 51 and reading of a signal from the disk becomes impossible, the read data is stored in the buffer memory 42 during the period during which the read data is accumulated. If the reproduction operation for the disc is resumed, the chronological continuity as the reproduction data can be maintained.

The RF signal processing circuit 44 includes a disk 51
By performing the required processing on the read signal from
For example, it generates an RF signal as reproduction data, a servo control signal such as a focus error signal and a tracking error signal for servo control of the deck unit 5, and the like. RF
The signal is binarized by the binarization circuit 43 as described above, and input to the MD-DATA2 encoder / decoder 41 as digital signal data. The generated various servo control signals are supplied to the servo circuit 45. In the servo circuit 45, based on the input servo control signal,
The required servo control in the deck section 5 is executed.

In this example, MD-DATA1
An encoder / decoder 47 corresponding to the format is provided. The encoder / decoder 47 encodes the recording data supplied from the video signal processing unit 3 in accordance with the MD-DATA1 format and records the encoded data on the disk 51. It is also possible to perform decoding processing on data encoded in accordance with the MD-DATA1 format, and transmit and output it to the video signal processing unit 3. That is, as the video camera of this example, the MD-DATA2 format and the MD-DATA2 format are used.
It is configured to obtain compatibility with the DATA1 format. The driver controller 46 is a functional circuit unit for controlling the media drive unit 4 as a whole.

The deck section 5 is a part comprising a mechanism for driving the disk 51. Although not shown here, in the deck section 5, the disk 5 to be loaded is
1 is detachable and has a mechanism (disc slot 203 (see FIG. 6)) that can be replaced by a user's work. Further, it is assumed that the disk 51 here is a magneto-optical disk corresponding to the MD-DATA2 format or the MD-DATA1 format.

In the deck section 5, a spindle motor 5 for rotating the loaded disk 51 by CLV is used.
2 is driven to rotate by the CLV. The optical head 53 irradiates the disk 51 with laser light during recording / reproduction. The optical head 53 performs high-level laser output for heating the recording track to the Curie temperature during recording, and performs relatively low-level laser output for detecting data from reflected light by the magnetic Kerr effect during reproduction. . Therefore, the optical head 53
Although not shown in detail here, a laser diode as a laser output unit, an optical system including a polarizing beam splitter and an objective lens, and a detector for detecting reflected light are mounted. The objective lens provided in the optical head 53 is held by a biaxial mechanism so as to be displaceable in a radial direction of the disk and in a direction of coming and coming from the disk.

The optical head 5 with the disk 51 interposed therebetween
A magnetic head 54 is arranged at a position facing 3. The magnetic head 54 performs an operation of applying a magnetic field modulated by recording data to the disk 51. Although not shown, the thread motor 55
And a thread mechanism driven by the thread mechanism. By driving the sled mechanism, the entire optical head 53 and the magnetic head 54 can be moved in the disk radial direction.

The operation unit 7 is provided with each of the operators 300,
301, 304, 306 to 312, and the like, and various operation information of the user by these operators are supplied to, for example, the video controller 38. Video controller 38
Supplies the camera controller 25 and the driver controller 46 with operation information and control information for causing each unit to execute a necessary operation according to a user operation.

The external interface 8 is provided so that data can be transmitted between the video camera and the external device. For example, as shown in the figure, the external interface 8 is provided between the I / F terminal T3 and the video signal processing unit. Can be The external interface 8 is not particularly limited here, but may be, for example, IEEE 1394 or the like. For example, when an external digital imaging device and the video camera of this embodiment are connected via the I / F terminal T3, it becomes possible to record an image (audio) captured by the video camera on the external digital imaging device. . In addition, image (sound) data reproduced by an external digital image device or the like is captured via the external interface 8 so that MD-
It is also possible to record on the disk 51 in accordance with the DATA2 (or MD-DATA1) format.

The power supply block 9 supplies a required level of power supply voltage to each functional circuit unit using a DC power supply obtained from a built-in battery or a DC power supply generated from a commercial AC power supply. The power supply on / off by the power supply block 9 is controlled by the video controller 38 in accordance with the operation of the main dial 300 described above. During the recording operation, the video controller 38 causes the indicator 206 to emit light.

4. Configuration of Media Drive Unit Next, as the configuration of the media drive unit 4 shown in FIG. 4, a detailed configuration in which a functional circuit unit corresponding to MD-DATA2 is extracted will be described with reference to the block diagram of FIG. In FIG. 5, the deck unit 5 is shown together with the media drive unit 4. However, since the internal configuration of the deck unit 5 has been described with reference to FIG. 4, the same reference numerals as in FIG. I do. In the media drive unit 4 shown in FIG. 5, the same reference numerals are given to the ranges corresponding to the blocks in FIG.

Information detected by data reading operation of the optical head 53 from the disk 51 (photocurrent obtained by detecting laser reflected light by a photodetector)
Is supplied to the RF amplifier 101 in the RF signal processing circuit 44. The RF amplifier 101 generates a reproduction RF signal as a reproduction signal from the input detection information and supplies the reproduction RF signal to the binarization circuit 43. The binarization circuit 43 binarizes the input reproduction RF signal to obtain a digital reproduction RF signal (binary RF signal). This binarized RF signal is supplied to the MD-DATA2 encoder / decoder 41, and first, the AGC / clamp circuit 103
Are input to the equalizer / PLL circuit 104 after gain adjustment, clamp processing, and the like have been performed. The equalizer / PLL circuit 104 performs an equalizing process on the input binary RF signal, and
5 is output. In addition, binarization R after equalizing processing
By inputting the F signal to the PLL circuit, the binarized RF
Clock C synchronized with signal (RLL (1,7) code string)
Extract LK.

The frequency of the clock CLK corresponds to the current disk rotation speed. Therefore, the CLV processor 11
1, the clock C is output from the equalizer / PLL circuit 104.
LK is input, error information is obtained by comparing with a reference value corresponding to a predetermined CLV speed (see FIG. 3), and this error information is used as a signal component for generating a spindle error signal SPE. Further, the clock CLK includes, for example, the RLL (1, 7) demodulation circuit 106 and the like.
It is used as a clock for processing in a required signal processing circuit system.

The Viterbi decoder 105 has an equalizer / P
The binary RF signal input from the LL circuit 104 is subjected to a decoding process according to a so-called Viterbi decoding method. As a result, reproduced data as an RLL (1, 7) code string is obtained. This reproduced data is RLL (1,
7) The signal is input to the demodulation circuit 106, where RLL (1,
7) The data stream is subjected to demodulation.

The data stream obtained by the demodulation processing in the RLL (1, 7) demodulation circuit 106 is written to the buffer memory 42 via the data bus 114 and is developed on the buffer memory 42. The data stream expanded on the buffer memory 42 in this manner is first subjected to error correction processing in error correction block units according to the RS-PC system by the ECC processing circuit 116, and further descramble / E
The DC decoding circuit 117 performs a descrambling process and an EDC decoding process (error detection process). The data processed so far is the reproduction data DA
TAp. The reproduction data DATAp is transmitted at a transfer rate according to the transfer clock generated by the transfer clock generation circuit 121, for example, from the descrambling / EDC decoding circuit 117 to the data processing / processing of the video signal processing unit 3.
The data is transmitted to the system control circuit 31.

The transfer clock generation circuit 121 is, for example,
When a crystal clock is used for data transmission between the media drive unit 4 and the video signal processing unit 3 and data transmission between functional circuit units in the media drive unit 4,
This is a portion for generating a transfer clock having a frequency appropriately determined.

The detection information (photocurrent) read from the disk 51 by the optical head 53 is transmitted to the matrix amplifier 1
07 is also supplied. The matrix amplifier 107 performs required arithmetic processing on the input detection information, thereby obtaining a tracking error signal TE, a focus error signal FE, and groove information (absolute address information recorded as a wobbled groove WG on the disk 51) GFM. Are supplied to the servo circuit 45. That is, the extracted tracking error signal TE and focus error signal FE are supplied to the servo processor 112, and the groove information GFM is stored in the ADIP bandpass filter 108.
Supplied to

The groove information GFM band-limited by the ADIP band-pass filter 108 is supplied to an A / B track detection circuit 109, an ADIP decoder 110, and a CLV.
It is supplied to the processor 111. In the A / B track detecting circuit 109, based on the input groove information GFM, for example, the track currently being traced is determined based on the method described with reference to FIG.
A, TR or B is determined, and the track determination information is transmitted to the driver controller 46.
Output to The ADIP decoder 110 decodes the input groove information GFM to extract an ADIP signal, which is absolute address information on the disk, and outputs the signal to the driver controller 46. The driver controller 46 executes necessary control processing based on the track identification information and the ADIP signal.

The CLV processor 111 receives the clock CLK from the equalizer / PLL circuit 104 and the groove information GFM via the ADIP bandpass filter 108. The CLV processor 111 generates a spindle error signal SPE for CLV servo control based on, for example, an error signal obtained by integrating a phase error between the groove information GFM and the clock CLK, and outputs the spindle error signal SPE to the servo processor 112. The required operation to be executed by the CLV processor 111 is controlled by the driver controller 46.

The servo processor 112 receives various servo control signals based on the tracking error signal TE, focus error signal FE, spindle error signal SPE, track jump command and access command from the driver controller 46 input as described above. (Tracking control signal, focus control signal, thread control signal, spindle control signal, etc.) are generated and output to the servo driver 113. In the servo driver 113,
A required servo drive signal is generated based on the servo control signal supplied from the servo processor 112. Here, the servo drive signal includes a two-axis drive signal (two types of focus direction and tracking direction) for driving the two-axis mechanism, a sled motor drive signal for driving the sled mechanism, and a spindle motor drive signal for driving the spindle motor 52. Becomes By supplying such a servo drive signal to the deck section 5, focus control and tracking control on the disk 51 and CLV control on the spindle motor 52 are performed.

When the recording operation is performed on the disk 51, for example, the data processing /
Scramble / ED from system control circuit 31
The recording data DATAR for the C encoding circuit 115
Will be input. This user record data DAT
Ar is input in synchronization with, for example, a transfer clock generated by the transfer clock generation circuit 121.

Scramble / EDC encoding circuit 11
In step 5, for example, the recording data DATAR is written into the buffer memory 42 and developed,
DC encoding processing (addition processing of an error detection code by a predetermined method) is performed. After this processing, for example, the ECC processing circuit 116 adds an error correction code according to the RS-PC method to the recording data DATAR developed in the buffer memory 42. The recording data DATAR that has been processed up to this point is read from the buffer memory 42 and transmitted to the RL via the data bus 114.
The signal is supplied to the L (1, 7) modulation circuit 118.

The RLL (1, 7) modulation circuit 118 applies RLL (1, 7) to the input recording data DATAR.
7) A modulation process is performed, and the recording data as the RLL (1, 7) code string is output to the magnetic head drive circuit 119.

Incidentally, in the MD-DATA2 format, a so-called laser strobe magnetic field modulation system is adopted as a recording system for a disk. The laser strobe magnetic field modulation method refers to a recording method in which a magnetic field modulated by recording data is applied to a recording surface of a disk, and a laser beam to be irradiated on the disk is pulsed in synchronization with the recording data. In such a laser strobe magnetic field modulation method, the process of forming a pit edge recorded on a disk does not depend on transient characteristics such as the reversal speed of a magnetic field, but is determined by the laser pulse irradiation timing. For this reason, the laser strobe magnetic field modulation method is compared with, for example, a simple magnetic field modulation method (a method in which a laser beam is constantly irradiated onto a disk and a magnetic field modulated by recording data is applied to a disk recording surface). In this case, it is possible to make the jitter of the recording pit extremely small. That is, the laser strobe magnetic field modulation method is a recording method advantageous for high-density recording.

The magnetic head drive circuit 119 of the media drive unit 4 operates so that a magnetic field modulated by the input recording data is applied from the magnetic head 54 to the disk 51. Further, the RLL (1, 7) modulation circuit 118 outputs a clock synchronized with the recording data to the laser driver 120. The laser driver 120 controls the optical head 5 so that the disk is irradiated with a laser pulse synchronized with recording data generated as a magnetic field by the magnetic head 54 based on the input clock.
The third laser diode is driven. At this time, the laser pulse emitted and output from the laser diode is based on a required laser power suitable for recording. In this way, the recording operation as the laser strobe magnetic field modulation method is enabled by the media drive unit 4 of the present embodiment.

5. Thumbnail Display of this Embodiment (5-1. Disc Structure Example) Next, a thumbnail display as this embodiment performed in the video camera having the above configuration will be described. The thumbnail display according to the present embodiment serves as a table of contents for searching for a file of image data (here, whether a moving image or a still image) recorded on the disk 51 currently loaded in the deck unit 5. To accomplish this, the representative image of each file is displayed as a thumbnail image. Therefore, in describing the thumbnail display according to the present embodiment,
An example of the structure of the disk 51 according to the present embodiment will be described.

FIG. 7 conceptually shows an example of the area structure of the disk 51 corresponding to the present embodiment.
Note that the physical format of the disk 51 shown in this figure is as described above with reference to FIGS. As shown in FIG. 7, in the magneto-optical recording area where the magneto-optical recording and reproduction can be performed as the disk 51, first, a management area is provided for a section of a predetermined size at the innermost circumference. This management area is, for example, U-TOC
Necessary management information required for management of recording and reproduction of a file on a disk (referred to as a user TOC) is mainly recorded. For example, information for managing a reproduction order for each file is also recorded here. Further, the contents of the U-TOC in the management area can be sequentially rewritten according to, for example, addition or deletion of a file recorded on a disc, or an editing operation for changing the reproduction order by a user as described later. You.

A data area is provided on the outer peripheral side of the management area. In this data area, for example, image data and audio data recorded and recorded by the user are recorded. The data recorded in the data area is recorded in a form managed on a file basis. The recording and reproduction of data for each file is managed based on management information stored in the management area. Further, in the case of a modified example described later, auxiliary image data depending on required data content is recorded in this data area, for example. The auxiliary image data is displayed in the divided display area where the thumbnail image is not displayed when there is a divided display area where the thumbnail image corresponding to the file is not displayed when performing the thumbnail display as described later. This is auxiliary image data to be used. In this way,
If auxiliary image data is recorded on the disk 51 in advance, it is possible to perform thumbnail display using the auxiliary image data as described later.

(5-2. Example of Form of Thumbnail Display) Next, a specific example of actual thumbnail display in this example will be described. For example, when the user performs a thumbnail display on a certain disc 51, first, the disc 51 to be subjected to the thumbnail display is inserted into the deck unit 5.
Then, the user operates the thumbnail mode key 310 shown in FIG. 6, for example. Thereby, the video camera shifts to the thumbnail display mode.

When the mode shifts to the thumbnail display mode, the video camera of the present embodiment reads, for example, a file recorded on the disk 51 and uses the read data to read the file recorded on the disk 51. The thumbnail display for presenting the contents is performed on the display screen P of the display unit 6A.

FIG. 8 shows an example of a display form as a thumbnail display displayed on the display screen P of the display section 6A.
(A). In the thumbnail display shown in FIG. 8A, first, it is assumed that the display screen P is divided into nine parts in advance, and as shown in FIG.
It is assumed that one divided display area is formed. Also,
This case corresponds to the case where the total number of image data files recorded on the disk 51 is five. Therefore, in this case, in the divided display area shown in FIG. 8A, the thumbnail images SN (A) and SN of the five files recorded on the disc 51 are provided for each of the divided display areas (B), SN
(C), SN (D), and SN (E) are displayed.

By the way, in this example, the disk 51
The data of the file recorded in the file may be a moving image or a still image. However, when a moving image file is converted into a thumbnail, the file is directly converted into a thumbnail image as a moving image (that is, the thumbnail is displayed in the divided display area). A method of obtaining a state of a moving image even when displayed as an image), and extracting a representative one-field screen (or a frame screen) such as the beginning or end of a moving image and a thumbnail image as a still image There are two methods that can be adopted, and either method may be adopted in this example. It is also conceivable that any one of the above methods can be selected and designated by the user. That is, the thumbnail images SN (A) to SN (E) in FIG. 8A may be either moving images or still images.

In the case of FIG. 8A, the thumbnail images are displayed in the nine divided display areas through five divided display areas as described above.
The remaining four divided display areas are non-display areas where thumbnail images are not displayed. When such a divided display area as a non-display area exists, as a feature of the present example, an image of a required character or picture is displayed on the divided display area as the non-display area. . In this specification, an image displayed in such a divided display area as a non-display area is also referred to as an “auxiliary image”.

In FIG. 8A, “SONY” is written as an auxiliary image for each of the divided display areas 〜, which are non-display areas. Is displayed. Here, the image data as such an auxiliary image is assumed to be data stored in the auxiliary image data memory 39 in the video signal processing unit 3, and the result is obtained by an image processing operation described later. It is displayed as shown in FIG.

The thumbnail display shown in FIG. 8A corresponds to the case where the total number of image data files recorded on the disk 51 is five. Later, at a certain time, the user performs recording, capture of image data via the external interface 8, and the like, and
When recording is performed by adding three files,
Are recorded from five to six. When the thumbnail display is performed on such a disc 51, for example, as shown in FIG. 8B, the thumbnail images SN ( A), SN
(B), SN (C), SN (D), SN (E), SN
(F) is displayed. Here, the thumbnail image SN
(F) corresponds to a file additionally recorded on the disk 51. In this case, the non-display area of the thumbnail image is divided display area to
Therefore, an auxiliary image marked “SONY” is displayed in these divided display areas.

For example, the display contents of the auxiliary image as described above are, of course, not limited to those shown in FIGS. 8A and 8B. The content may be such that a message or information can be provided to the user. In addition, the auxiliary image may be a still image or a moving image. For example, FIG.
(A) In the case of the "SONY" logo shown in (b), it is also conceivable to display a moving image such as changing the color over time or moving the "SONY" logo. It is. Further, instead of displaying the same content image on each of the non-display area divided display areas, it is also possible to display different content images on each of the non-display area divided display areas. .

By displaying such an auxiliary image,
For example, a divided display area as a non-display area, which has conventionally only been displayed in a single color, is effectively used. Also, depending on the display contents of the auxiliary image, etc., it is possible to give a user who is looking at the thumbnail screen a visual interest.

As described above, if a rewritable memory such as a flash EEPROM is used as the auxiliary image data memory 39, for example, image data created by a user and taken into the video camera can be used as auxiliary data. By writing the data in the image data memory 39, the original auxiliary image data can be used for thumbnail display, and the entertainment for the user can be further enhanced.

Generally, for such a thumbnail display, a GUI (Graphical User Interface) is displayed as follows.
e) The target operation is performed. The user can operate the cross key 311 in a state where the thumbnail display shown in FIG. 8A is displayed, for example. At this time, in FIG. 8A, it is assumed that a pointer (not shown) is displayed on the thumbnail display screen.
The pointer is movable on each divided display area.

Then, for example, when the user places a pointer on a thumbnail image that the user wants to reproduce and then presses the click key 312, the screen of the thumbnail display is erased and the user clicks. The reproduction of the file corresponding to the thumbnail image is performed. At this time, the data of the specified file is read from the disk 51 again, and the full-size display reproduction is performed on the display screen P of the display unit 6A by the normal reproduction signal processing.

The numbers assigned to the divided display areas in FIGS. 8A and 8B indicate the file order (ascending order of file number) managed on the disk 51.
It is assumed to correspond to For example, when files are continuously reproduced on the disk 51, the files are sequentially reproduced according to the file order. That is, in the case of FIG. 8A, on the disk 51, the thumbnail images SN (A) → SN (B) → SN (C) → S
U-T recorded on the disk 51 so that the files are reproduced in the order corresponding to N (D) → SN (E).
It is assumed that it is managed on the OC (management area in FIG. 7). Therefore, in this example, the thumbnail image of each file designated for thumbnail display always starts to be displayed from the first divided display area according to the file order, and thereafter, the divided display area →→→.
It is assigned in the order of →. And
If there is a divided display area after a certain number that remains without displaying the thumbnail image, the auxiliary image is displayed in these divided display areas. Conversely speaking, for example, specifically, for example, the thumbnail images are not displayed in the divided display area that is the top as the display order (arrangement order) of the thumbnail images, and the divided display areas after In this example, a state in which a thumbnail image is displayed can be avoided. However,
Here, the file order is necessarily a file number, which is file # 1 → file # 2 → file # 3
It is not necessary to be continuous like... That is,
Assuming that the file numbers are file # 2 and file #
If the thumbnail images corresponding to the three files of file # 4 and file # 6 are to be displayed, the thumbnail images of file # 2, file # 4 and file # 6 are displayed in the divided display area →→. The auxiliary image is displayed for the remaining divided display areas. By adopting such a display mode, in the case of the present example, as shown in FIG. 8, on the display screen P, the thumbnail images are not dispersed, but according to the numbers (〜) assigned to the divided display areas. Since the thumbnails are displayed continuously, a thumbnail display screen that is easy to see visually can be provided. Further, in the case of this example, the number assigned to the divided display area as described above is displayed in association with the file order of the thumbnailized file, so that the file order of the thumbnail-displayed file is displayed. Is considered to be more visually recognizable and more suitable for the user's operational feeling. This is advantageous, for example, in a case where an operation for changing the file order is performed using the thumbnail display as a GUI.

Here, the following operation form can be considered as a specific example of the operation for changing the file order. For example, also at this time, it is assumed that a pointer not shown in FIG. 8A is displayed on the thumbnail display screen, and, for example, the pointer is displayed in each divided display according to the direction specified by the user operating the cross key 311. It can be moved on the area.

Then, for example, after the user positions and designates a pointer on a desired thumbnail image for which the user wants to change the file order, the cross key 311 is operated while the pressing operation of the click key 312 is continued. You. By this composite operation, the thumbnail image specified earlier can be moved, for example, by dragging it on the display screen P. Then, the user moves the dragged thumbnail image to the position of the divided display area corresponding to the desired file order, and thereafter releases the pressing operation of the click key 312. As a result, the thumbnail images dragged by the user are displayed in the destination divided display area, and, for example, the remaining thumbnail images are sequentially displayed in the divided display area in accordance with the changed file order. .

For example, in FIG. 8A, the thumbnail image SN of the file having the fourth file order is displayed.
Assuming that (D) (displayed on the divided display area) is dragged onto the divided display area according to the above operation, the display screen P displays thumbnail images SN (A), SN (B), SN (C), SN (D), S
From the state in which N (E) is displayed, the thumbnail images SN (A), SN (D), SN (B), SN
(C) and SN (E) change to the displayed state, and the file order of the files is updated to the order according to the displayed order. When the file order is updated in this manner, for example, at a predetermined opportunity and timing, a U for managing the file order on the disk 51 is determined.
-The data content of the TOC will be rewritten.

Here, in order to enable the operation for changing the file order as described above and the reproduction of the file of the thumbnail image specified by the click described above,
Information for associating each divided display area, a thumbnail image (file) displayed for each divided display area, and a recording position (address) of each file on the disk 51 is required. Therefore, in this example, by providing data of the correspondence table as shown in FIG. 9, the correspondence between the thumbnail image (file) displayed in the divided display area and the address of this file can be recognized.

FIG. 9 shows an example of data mapping of a correspondence table having data contents corresponding to the thumbnail display shown in FIG. 8A as an example. When the thumbnail display shown in FIG. 8A is followed, the thumbnail images SN (A) and SN
(B), SN (C), SN (D), and SN (E) are displayed. Therefore, in FIG. 9, the thumbnail image SN is assigned to each of the divided display area numbers 1 to 5.
(A), SN (B), SN (C), SN (D), SN
The identification data of (E) is stored so as to correspond. Further, each thumbnail image SN (A), SN (B), SN
The data of the addresses on the disk 51 of the files corresponding to (C), SN (D), and SN (E) are also stored so as to correspond to each thumbnail image. Here, the data of the address corresponding to each thumbnail image is shown as [XXX], but actually, the data of the address on the disk 51 where each file is recorded is stored. Thus, for example, when data reproduction is instructed for a certain thumbnail image, the address of this table is read, and the reproduction operation can be performed by accessing the disk 51.

Also, in the thumbnail display shown in FIG. 8A, since the auxiliary image data is displayed for the remaining divided display areas 分割, the divided display area numbers 6 to
The auxiliary image data actually displayed in each of the divided display areas 1 to 9 is stored in association with each of 9. In this case, the address (shown as [yyy] in the figure) associated with each auxiliary image data is, for example, if the auxiliary image data is read from the auxiliary image data memory 39, this auxiliary image data The address may be any address where the auxiliary image data is stored in the memory 39. As a modified example described later, if the auxiliary image data is read from the disk 51, the auxiliary image The address may be an address where data is recorded.

For example, if the operation of changing the file order is performed by the above-described procedure under the data contents of the table shown in FIG. Rewriting is performed such that the identification data of the thumbnail image associated with the divided display area numbers (1 to 9) and the storage position of the address associated with the thumbnail image are changed.

The table data as shown in FIG. 9 is subjected to reduced image processing to be displayed for each divided display area as described later, and the reduced image data is stored in the buffer memory 32. It is created every time the data is written to the table data storage area set in the buffer memory 32, for example.

In the above description, when the thumbnail display mode is set, all the image data files recorded on the currently loaded disc 51 are automatically displayed as thumbnails. At a stage before the display is started, it is of course possible that the user can select and specify a file to be finally displayed as a thumbnail by a predetermined operation on the operation unit 7. Also, in FIG. 8 described above, it is assumed that the preset number of divided display areas (the number of divided display screens) is nine, but this is merely for convenience of description, and in practice , The number of divided display areas may be set other than nine. Further, the number of divided display areas to be set does not necessarily have to be fixed. For example, a configuration may be considered in which the number of divided display areas can be changed and set by a predetermined operation of the user. Further, for example, as described above, when the user is configured to be able to select and specify a file to be finally displayed as a thumbnail, an appropriate number of divided display areas is automatically set according to the number of files selected by the user. It is also conceivable to set it. Furthermore, when thumbnails of all image data files recorded on the disc 51 are displayed, an appropriate number of divided display areas can be automatically set according to the number of files. It is.

6. Processing Operation The processing operation for realizing the thumbnail display as described with reference to FIG. 8 will be described mainly with reference to the flowchart in FIG. It should be noted that the processing operation shown in this figure is mainly performed by the data processing / system control circuit 3 based on the overall operation control by the video controller 38.
1 controls the components in the video signal processing unit 3 and the driver controller 46 controls the components in the media drive unit 4. For simplicity, the processing operation shown in FIG. 9 will be described on the assumption that all files to be displayed as thumbnails are moving image data.

In the process shown in FIG. 9, for example, when the user operates the thumbnail mode key 310, the thumbnail display mode is set in step S101, and the process proceeds to step S102.
In step S102, the currently set number of divided display areas is set as a value m. According to the example shown in FIG. 8, the value m = 9 is set here. In a succeeding step S103, a step S1 described later is performed.
In step S10, initialization is performed with n = 0 for the number n of image size reduction processes executed in step S10.
Proceed to 4.

In step S104, 1 is set according to the file order of the file currently managed on the U-TOC.
Control for reading data of one file from the disk 51 is executed.

For example, the U-
The TOC data is read out at a predetermined timing such as when a disc is loaded, and under the control of the driver controller 46, the buffer memory 42 (or the buffer memory 3).
2) is stored.

The driver controller 46 recognizes the file order of files with reference to, for example, the U-TOC stored in the buffer memory 42, and executes control for taking in one file according to the file order. To be. That is, data is read out by accessing one target file based on the file order, and this data is transmitted from the deck unit 5 to the media drive unit 4. And the media drive unit 4
After performing decoding processing according to the MD-DATA2 (or MD-DATA1) format, the data is transmitted to the video signal processing unit 3. For example, in the case of FIG. 8, in the process of step S104, which is executed first in the thumbnail display mode, a file corresponding to the thumbnail SN (A) (here, file A) is read. Will be.

After the processing in step S104 is completed as described above, the flow advances to step S105 to read the data transmitted to the video signal processing unit 3 (or read from the auxiliary image data memory 39 as described later). For the auxiliary image data), a data extraction process is executed in field image units. For this purpose, for example, if the data processing / system control circuit 31 needs to process the data to be processed, the data processing / system control circuit 31 controls the MPEG2 video signal processing circuit to generate the moving image data subjected to the decompression processing according to the MPEG2 format. , Data decoded to the level of image data in units of field images.

In the following step S105, for each field image data obtained as described above, a process for reducing the image size to the number m of the currently set divided display areas is executed.

Here, the image reduction process is a process of reducing the display size of the image data of the original file (or the auxiliary image data) to an image size suitable for thumbnail display. That is, in the thumbnail display according to the present embodiment, one display screen is divided into a plurality of divided display areas set in advance, and for each of these divided display areas,
A thumbnail image for each file is displayed.
In particular, the original image data as a file is usually displayed at almost the full size on the display screen at the stage where, for example, a moving image is subjected to an expansion process by MPEG2 or a still image by JPEG or the like. Data having the same image size (number of pixels). For this reason, the image size is formed by forming image data with a set of pixels smaller than the original image data so as to match the image size of the divided display area determined according to the actually set number of divisions. To the required size. In order to reduce the image size, for example, the original full-size image data is sampled at appropriate timing for the pixel data, and the image data is reconstructed using the sampled pixel data. What is necessary is just to obtain the image data reduced to the required size.

In step S105, specifically, control processing for performing the above-described image reduction processing on field image data as a file or an auxiliary image is executed. Such image processing is performed in the data processing / system control circuit 31, for example.

Here, as described above, for example, when the file data is a moving image, the thumbnail image may be a moving image as it is,
Still images may be used. Therefore,
For example, as the processing of step S105 → S106,
For example, if field image data to be displayed on a different time axis is extracted from data of a certain moving image file and subjected to image reduction processing, data of a thumbnail image as a moving image is finally obtained. Will be. Also, if only one representative field screen is extracted from the data of one moving image file and subjected to image reduction processing as the processing from step S105 to S106, data as a still image can be obtained. Become.

When it is determined that the processing in S106 is completed, it means that the image reduction processing for the data of a certain file (or auxiliary image) has been completed. Therefore, in the following step S107, the above-mentioned step S105
→ The data reduced through the processing of S106 is stored in, for example, the buffer memory 32. At this time, the table data described earlier with reference to FIG. 9 is created and updated, and writing is performed, for example, in a predetermined area of the same buffer memory 32. In other words, every time the image reduction processing for one file is completed, the thumbnail images to be displayed corresponding to the divided display area numbers are sequentially displayed as the table data shown in FIG. And the address of the file of the thumbnail image are stored.

After the processing of step S107 is completed, the number of times of image size reduction processing n is incremented by n + 1, and the process proceeds to step S109.

In step S109, it is determined whether or not processing of all files recorded on the disk 51 to be displayed as thumbnails has been completed. Here, if it is determined that the processing of all the files has not been completed, the process returns to the step S104. In this way, by repeating the processing of steps S104 to S109 until a positive result is obtained in step S109, for example, if the display form of FIG. 8A is realized, the thumbnail SN (A) The operation from the corresponding file to the image size reduction processing for the file corresponding to the thumbnail SN (E) is completed.

If an affirmative result is obtained in step S109, the process proceeds to step S110, where n = m is established for the current image size reduction processing number n and the currently set divided display area number m. A determination is made as to whether or not there is. Here, if it is determined that n = m is not satisfied, it is determined that mn divided display areas as non-display areas remain, and the process proceeds to step S111. However, if the final number of thumbnail images is the same as the number of divided display areas, a positive result is obtained in step S110 at the same time as a positive result is obtained in step S109. No size reduction processing is performed

In step S111, the auxiliary image data is read out. In this case, the data processing / system control circuit 31 reads the required auxiliary image data from the auxiliary image data memory 39 of the video signal processing unit 3. Is read. Then, the process returns from the step S111 to the processes after the step S115. As a result, the auxiliary image data read from the auxiliary image data memory 39 is finally subjected to the image size reduction process in the same manner as the image data of the previous file, and then stored in the buffer memory 32. And
Accordingly, the table data is also formed as described with reference to FIG. And step S
Until it is determined in step 110 that n = m, the processing from step S111 to step S115 is repeated.

However, if the final number of thumbnail images is the same as the number of divided display areas, a positive result is obtained in step S109 and a positive result is obtained in step S110. First, the process proceeds to step S112. That is,
The reading of the auxiliary image data and the image size reduction processing for the read auxiliary image data are not executed.

Then, when the image size reduction processing is performed on the auxiliary image data (when the processing via step S111 is performed), it is determined that n = m in step S110, that is, ,
If it is determined that the image size reduction processing of the thumbnail images and the auxiliary images to be displayed in the currently set number of divided display areas has been completed, the process proceeds to step S112 at this stage.

At the stage when step S112 is reached, all the image data (data subjected to the image size reduction processing) for each number of divided display areas is stored in the buffer memory 32. The table data described with reference to FIG. 9 is also in a completed state. In step S1112, layout processing is performed on the data subjected to the image size reduction processing so that the data is displayed for each of the required divided display areas.
The display image data corresponding to the thumbnail display state shown in FIG. Then, in subsequent step S113, display output control is performed so that the image data for thumbnail display created in step S113 is displayed on the display unit 6A.

In the above description, it is assumed that the file of the disk to be converted into a thumbnail image is moving image data. It is sufficient that the processing substantially in accordance with the flowchart shown in FIG. 10 is executed. In this case, the extraction processing of the field image data in step S104 may be omitted.
For example, even when the auxiliary image data is a still image, at least the processing in step S104 may be omitted as described above. Therefore, in this example, even in the case where moving image and still image files are mixed, FIG.
It is possible to generate a thumbnail display image based on the processing shown in FIG.

7. Modification Example Next, a modification example of the present embodiment will be described. In the above description, the auxiliary image data has been described as being obtained by reading from the auxiliary image data memory 39 in the video signal processing unit 3. Auxiliary image data is recorded in the area, and at the time of thumbnail display, the auxiliary image is displayed in a divided display area as a non-display area using the auxiliary image data recorded on the disk 51. It is possible. That is, instead of using the storage element (memory) in the video camera body of the present example, the storage means for storing the auxiliary image data is an external recording medium.

In this case, for example, when the auxiliary image data is recorded in the data area of the disk 51,
It is conceivable to manage this as a file. In order to perform thumbnail display using this file, it is necessary to manage the file on the U-TOC according to a predetermined management mode so that the file is specified as auxiliary image data. As a management form for specifying a file of auxiliary image data, for example, a file of auxiliary image data is treated as one file of user data, and a predetermined file order (for example, the end of the file order) is always an auxiliary file. It is conceivable that the file is managed on the U-TOC as a file managed as an image data file.

Also, for example, when thumbnail display is performed on a disk on which a file of auxiliary image data is recorded as described above, the processing operation may be similar to the processing operation of FIG. 10 described above. . However, in this case, in step S109, it is determined that the image size reduction processing has been completed for the required files except for the file having the last file order (the file of the auxiliary image data). As the reading processing of the auxiliary image data in step S111, for example, the recording address of the file (the file whose file order is set as the last file) as the auxiliary image data of the currently loaded disc 51 is accessed, A file of image data is read out, and a control process for transmitting the read data to the video signal processing unit 3 is executed.

Here, as a modified example, when the file of the auxiliary image data is treated as the file of the user data as described above, and the file is managed so that the file order is always the last. Has the following advantages. For example, the disk 51 is a rewritable magneto-optical disk, and its management information such as the file order is also rewritable as described above. For this reason, for example, if the image data created by the user or the image data obtained using any video source is recorded on the disk 51 by specifying the last file order,
Inevitably, the file recorded by the user is treated as auxiliary image data. That is, even in this case, it is possible to obtain the auxiliary image data of the original content which is assumed to have been created by the user himself, and it is possible to easily realize this. In addition, the user designates the file of the image data selected by the user from the plurality of image data files already recorded on the disk 51 so as to be in the last file order, so that the image recorded by the user on the disk 51 is It is also possible to set a desired file from among the data files as the auxiliary image data file.

Also, at the stage of shipment as a blank disk, for example, a file is recorded in advance by a manufacturer so that a file as auxiliary image data is always managed so that the file order is last. And That is, a file as auxiliary image data is recorded at the time of shipment. Then, even if the user purchases this disc and, for example, the user normally plays back without recording anything, the auxiliary image data file is played back and displayed as user data. It is output, and the user can enjoy a certain degree of interest. Here, when the file of the auxiliary image data is recorded in advance by the manufacturer, the content of the auxiliary image data may be, for example, a message or commercial content in addition to the logo of the disc manufacturer. For example, by displaying the file normally as described above, or by displaying it in the divided display area where the thumbnail image is not displayed at the time of displaying the thumbnail, it is possible for the maker to give the user a certain fun. Therefore, it can be effectively used for advertising their own products and their products.

In the description of the above modification, the disk 5
It has been described that one auxiliary image data file can be recorded in one file. However, if necessary, the auxiliary image data files of a plurality of files can be recorded and managed so that these plural files can be stored. It is also conceivable to select an arbitrary file from the auxiliary image data and use it when displaying a thumbnail. Further, in the description of the modification example, the description has been made on the assumption that the auxiliary image data is handled and recorded as a file in the data area. Auxiliary image data area "
It is conceivable to define a format so that recording (and rewriting) and reproduction of the auxiliary image data are performed on the auxiliary image data area.

Also, in the present embodiment described so far, the case where the image processing configuration as the present invention is applied to thumbnail display has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to the above application example as long as an image is displayed. For example, in recent years, there has been known a television receiver or the like having a multi-channel display function of dividing a screen of a plurality of channels into one screen and simultaneously displaying the divided screens. At the time of such multi-channel display, the present invention can be applied to a case where there is a divided display area where a channel image is not displayed.

The video camera of the present embodiment is a disk recording / reproducing device based on MD-DATA2 as a video recording / reproducing portion. May be a recording / reproducing apparatus corresponding to the disc type recording medium of the above type. Further, in the present embodiment, the description has been made on the assumption that the MPEG2 system is employed for compressing the moving image data. However, for example, a system capable of compressing and encoding other moving image data may be employed. Also, the compression method for still image data and audio data need not be particularly limited to those exemplified as the present embodiment (JPEG, ATRAC2, etc.).

[0125]

As described above, according to the present invention, one screen is divided into a plurality of divided display areas, and a main image for a certain purpose is displayed in each divided display area. In the divided display area where the main image is not displayed,
Image display is performed as an auxiliary image (sub-image) having predetermined content. For example, in the related art, only a predetermined single-color display is performed on a divided display area in which a main image is not displayed. It can provide display content that appeals to the user's vision, such as advertising a maker or displaying some interesting images, so it can be displayed on a display screen that was not particularly used as a non-display area until now This has the effect that the part can be used effectively.

In particular, the present invention is preferably applied to a thumbnail display for displaying a so-called reduced image for search, which is often used as a GUI in recent years, and is a divided display area where a thumbnail image as a main image is not displayed. By using a configuration that displays auxiliary images, it is possible to make effective use of the non-display area that is likely to be displayed when displaying thumbnails. It becomes possible to give enough.

The auxiliary image data may be stored in a memory or the like in the main body of the image processing apparatus, or may be stored in, for example, an external recording medium. In this way, by giving variations in the method of obtaining the auxiliary image data, the vendors that can prepare the auxiliary image data are not limited to, for example, the manufacturers of video equipment equipped with the image processing device. Appropriate degrees of freedom are provided, including media manufacturers and even users. As a result, there is a high possibility that various contents are obtained as the contents of the auxiliary image data, which leads to a great merit in utilizing the above-mentioned area where the main screen is not displayed.

Further, when an image is displayed on the divided display area, the main image is displayed sequentially from the leading divided display area in accordance with the arrangement order of the images set on the divided display area. By configuring the sub-image to be displayed in the divided display area where the main image is not displayed, for example, by taking into account the setting of the arrangement order with respect to the display position of the divided display area, one screen can be displayed. Without dispersing the display positions of the plurality of main images to be displayed, it is possible to display the main images in a united manner according to a required arrangement pattern. For this reason, for example, in the case of the above thumbnail display, the thumbnail images (and auxiliary images) are displayed collectively according to a certain arrangement pattern. Also, an easy display screen can be obtained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a track structure of a disc corresponding to a video camera according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a track portion of a disc corresponding to the video camera of the embodiment in an enlarged manner.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing specifications of a disc corresponding to the video camera of the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of an internal configuration of the video camera according to the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of an internal configuration of a media drive unit of the video camera according to the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a side view, a plan view, and the like of the video camera according to the embodiment;
And a rear view.

FIG. 7 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of a disk structure corresponding to the present embodiment.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a thumbnail display according to the embodiment;

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing a mapping example of table data required for displaying a thumbnail according to the embodiment;

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing a processing operation for displaying a thumbnail according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a thumbnail display mode as a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 lens block, 2 camera block, 3 video signal processing section, 4 media drive section, 5 deck section,
6 display / image / audio input / output unit, 6A display unit, 7 operation unit, 8 external interface, 9 power supply block,
Reference Signs List 11 optical system, 12 motor unit, 22 sample hold / AGC circuit, 23 A / D converter, 24 timing generator, 25 camera controller, 31
Data processing / system control circuit, 32 buffer memory, 33 video signal processing circuit, 34 memory, 35 motion detection circuit, 36 memory, 37 audio compression encoder / decoder, 38 video controller,
41 MD-DATA2 encoder / decoder, 42
Buffer memory, 43 binarization circuit, 44 RF signal processing circuit, 45 servo circuit, 46 driver controller, 51 disk, 52 spindle motor, 53
Optical head, 54 magnetic head, 55 thread motor, 61 video D / A converter, 62 display controller, 63 composite signal processing circuit, 64 A /
D converter, 65 D / A converter, 66 amplifier, 101 RF amplifier, 103 AGC / clamp circuit, 104 equalizer / PLL circuit, 105 Viterbi decoder, 106 RLL (1, 7) demodulation circuit, 107
Matrix amplifier, 108 ADIP bandpass filter, 109 A / B track detection circuit, 110 AD
IP decoder, 111 CLV processor, 112 servo processor, 113 servo driver, 114 data bus, 115 scramble / EDC encoding circuit, 116 ECC processing circuit, 117 descramble / EDC decoding circuit, 118 RLL (1, 7) modulation circuit, 119 Magnetic head drive circuit, 120 laser driver, 121 transfer clock generation circuit, 201 camera lens, 202 microphone, 203 disk slot, 204 viewfinder, 205 speaker, 3
00 main dial, 301 release key, 304
Zoom key, 305 Eject key, 306 Play key, 307 Stop key, 308, 309 Search key,
310 Thumbnail mode key, 311 Cross key, 3
12 Click key, Ld land, NWG non-wobbled groove, WG wobbled groove, Tr.
A, Tr ・ B Truck

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. An image processing apparatus capable of dividing one display screen into a certain number of divided display areas and performing image processing for displaying an image in each of the divided display areas. Storage means capable of storing image data of contents, and when displaying one or more image data as a main image in each of the divided display areas, the number of divided display areas for displaying the main image is divided and displayed. If the total number of areas is less than the total number of areas, image processing for displaying, as a sub-image, image data obtained by reading from the storage unit on each of the divided display areas where the main image is not displayed is performed. An image processing apparatus, comprising: 2. The image data as the main image is image data for search used for search, and the image data as the sub-image is image data of a predetermined content not used as image data for search. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: 3. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the storage unit is provided in advance for the image processing apparatus. 4. The storage means is an external recording medium on which at least the image data of the predetermined content is recorded, and the image processing apparatus reproduces data on the external recording medium, 2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a data reproducing unit capable of supplying the data obtained to the image processing unit. 5. The image processing means, after setting an image arrangement order for each of the divided display areas, sequentially assigns one or a plurality of main images from the divided display area whose arrangement order is the top. It is configured to be able to perform image processing for displaying each divided display area in accordance with the arrangement order and for displaying the sub-image in each divided display area in the arrangement order after the main image is not displayed. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: