KR20000073623A - Digital camera mountable on pc - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A detachable digital camera from a PC is provided to use the camera for inputting, storing, editing, and outputting moving pictures by connecting it to a PC as well as to use it as a portable digital camera after detaching it from the PC. CONSTITUTION: The detachable digital camera comprises a light receiving portion(10), a sensor signal converter(17) for obtaining an image through the light receiving portion, a PC interfacing portion(14) for interfacing with a PC(16), a control portion(13) for storing digital information and controlling a transmission of the information to an interfacing portion of the PC, and a storing unit(15) for storing the digital information. In the camera, the control portion comprises a timing control portion for receiving a synchronizing signal and the digital information from the sensor signal converter and outputting a timing control signal for recording and reading the information on/from the storing unit, a recording control portion for controlling a recording of the digital information on the storing unit using the timing control signal, and a reading control portion for controlling a reading of the digital information from the storing unit using the timing control signal.

Description

Camera with digital camera combined use {DIGITAL CAMERA MOUNTABLE ON PC}

The present invention relates to a digital camera and a PC-equipped camera for implementing a function of a portable digital still image camera and a PC-mounted camera used in a PC at the same time in one multi-function camera device. By implementing two separate devices in one device, not only can it be used as a portable digital still camera but also can be connected to a PC so that it can input, save, edit, and output not only still images but also moving images in real time. It can also be used as a camera.

Digital still image cameras and PC-mounted cameras are known as separate devices. Unlike ordinary cameras that use film to store video information, digital still cameras can convert video information to digital information and store it on an internal storage device or on a separate removable digital storage device such as a floppy disk or memory card. Instead of printing the film, it prints a photo using a digital camera-specific printing device or transfers it to a PC so that it can be saved, edited and output as an image file. However, a digital still image camera can only process still image information, but has no function of processing moving image information.

On the other hand, a PC-equipped camera is a device that can be used for various purposes by transmitting the real-time image information of the still or moving images required by the PC to the PC in real time. It has the function of transmitting digital information to PC by digitizing analog signal of general NTSC method to PC and then digitizing analog signal by using additional hardware of PC or digitizing inside PC equipped camera. However, the PC-equipped camera has a disadvantage in that it cannot perform a function as a portable camera in a state separated from the PC.

The present invention improves the disadvantages of the conventional digital still image camera and the PC-mounted camera as described above, and implements the functions of the digital still image camera and the PC-mounted camera together in a single device for use as a portable digital still image camera It is also an object of the present invention to provide a multifunctional digital camera that can be connected to a PC to process not only still images but also moving image information in real time.

In addition, the present invention integrates a function of transmitting image information of a video in real time when connected to a PC in addition to the image storage function of a conventional digital camera, so that it is possible to process what was performed in two separate devices in one device. The purpose is to provide a method.

1 is a block diagram of the overall configuration of an embodiment of the present invention.

2 is a block diagram of the controller of FIG.

3 is a block diagram of the PC interface of FIG.

Explanation of symbols on the main parts of the drawings

10: light receiver 11: image sensor

12: memory 13: control unit

14: PC interface unit 15: storage device

16: PC 17: Signal Converter

20: timing controller 21: recording controller

22: read control unit 30: data selector

31: Frame Converter 32: Rate Converter

Conventional digital cameras send images to a PC or dedicated output device by using a universal serial interface or a cable connection interface provided by the manufacturer, and using removable storage devices such as disks and memory cards. Lose. In the case of moving picture transmission, the speed of approximately 1152KB / sec is required when transmitting 15 frames per second at 320 × 240 resolution. However, since the interface with a PC of a conventional digital camera usually uses serial communication using RS232C, the maximum speed is 11.52KB / sec, which is not suitable for moving picture transmission.

In the present invention, a high-speed general-purpose cable interface can be used for moving picture transfer by selecting an interface capable of high-speed data transfer such as USB (Universal Serial Bus) and FireWire (IEEE 1394).

It will be described below with reference to the drawings.

For use as a digital camera

In FIG. 1, an image of a subject entering through a light receiving unit 10 such as a lens is obtained by the image sensor 11. An image sensor is an apparatus that can acquire an image electrically, such as a charge coupled device (CCD) or a charge injection device (CID). The output of the image sensor is converted into digital information in real time through the signal converter 17. Recently, there is also a type of sensor that outputs an image as a digital signal by putting an image sensor and a signal converter in one device, so it can also be used. The image information converted into digital data through the signal converter 17 is temporarily stored in the memory 12 through the control unit 13. The image information temporarily stored in the memory is stored in the storage device 15 which is not erased even when the power is turned off through the control unit. The memory 12 is necessary only when the speed at which the image information is written to the storage device 15 is slower than the speed at which the image information is output from the signal converter 17. Therefore, when the speed of recording to the storage device 15 is high, the image information may be stored in the storage device 15 through the control unit 13 without passing through the memory 12. The stored image information is then transmitted to the PC 16 through the PC interface unit 14 to be used for outputting an image or storing a file. Data read from the storage device 15 is transferred to the PC through the PC interface unit. The storage device 15 may be a detachable type that can be inserted into or removed from the camera or an integrated type fixed inside the camera. When the stored data is deleted, the controller 13 may remove the image information stored in the storage device 15 and update the image data with other image information.

In FIG. 2, the operation of the controller 13 is as follows. The control unit 13 receives the data outputted from the signal converter 17 and the synchronization signal and sends the data to the memory 12, and the stored data is transmitted through the timing control unit 20, the write control unit 21, and the read control unit 22. I can read it. Here, the timing controller 20 outputs a timing control signal for writing the contents of the memory to the storage device 15 or reading from the storage device 15. The recording control unit 21 serves to record data to the storage device using the control signal output from the timing control unit 20, and the read control unit 22 uses the control signal output from the timing control unit 20 to record the data. To read from storage 15.

3, the operation of the PC interface unit 14 is as follows. The data from the control unit 13 is selected by the data selector 30 and converted into frame information by the frame converter 31, and is controlled by the rate converter 32 that adjusts the data rate according to the transmission rate. It is transmitted at the speed.

When using as a camera with a PC

In FIG. 1, the output of the image sensor 11 including the video information is converted into a digital signal through the above-described process and then sent to the PC interface unit 14 through the control unit 13.

The PC interface unit 14 of FIG. 3 selects data through the data selector 30, converts the data into frame information through the frame converter 31 converting the data into frames, and adjusts the data rate according to the transmission rate. The data rate converter 32 transmits data at a speed compatible with that of the personal computer. At this time, since the power can be supplied from a PC, the camera and the PC are operated only by connecting the interface cable, and thus, there is an advantage that it can be used more easily than a conventional PC-equipped camera. When using the serial port of a conventional PC, the speed is 0.15 frames per second at 320 × 240 resolution, but 15 frames per second at 320 × 240 resolution with USB, and 30 frames per second at 640 × 480 resolution with FireWire. You can send and receive moving images.

The number of frames per second of video information is proportional to the performance of the PC interface and inversely proportional to the resolution of the video information. You can adjust the resolution, frames per second and the quality of the image according to your decision on the PC.

Although the detailed description of the present invention has been described with reference to the accompanying drawings, by way of example, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the technical scope of the invention given by the appended claims. Do.

According to the present invention, the functions of a conventional digital still image camera and a PC-mounted camera can be implemented in a single device and can be used as a portable digital still image camera. Multifunctional camera device is provided.

In addition, the present invention incorporates a function of transmitting image information of a video in real time when connected to a PC, in addition to the image storage function of an existing digital camera, so that the work performed in two separate devices can be processed in one device. A method is provided.

In addition, it can be used in general PC specification without additional hardware by installing digital digitization function inside the camera when using as a PC-equipped camera. By integrating into the device, it is possible to reduce the common of both components, thereby providing a camera with various functions at low cost.

Claims (13)

In the camera with the digital camera combined use PC, (a) a light receiving unit; (b) a sensor signal converter which acquires an image through the light receiving unit and converts the image into digital information; (c) a PC interface unit for interfacing with a PC; And and (d) a control unit for controlling the storage of the digital information and / or the transmission to the PC interface unit. The method of claim 1, (e) a digital camera combined PC-equipped camera further comprising a storage device for storing the digital information. The method according to claim 1 or 2, The control unit, A timing controller which receives the digital information and the synchronization signal output from the sensor signal converter and outputs the digital information to a memory and outputs a timing control signal for writing and / or reading the contents of the memory from the storage unit; A recording control unit which controls to record the digital information to the storage device by using the timing control signal output from the timing control unit; And And a read controller configured to control the digital information to be read from the storage device using the timing control signal output from the timing controller. The method according to claim 1 or 2, The PC interface unit, A frame converter which converts the digital information read from the storage device or the digital information output from the sensor signal converter into a frame; And And a digital camera combined PC, characterized in that it comprises a rate conversion unit for adjusting the transmission rate of the digital information according to the transmission speed. The method of claim 1, The digital information is a digital camera combined PC camera, characterized in that it comprises video information. The method of claim 2, The storage device is a digital camera combined PC-equipped camera, characterized in that the removable storage device that can be inserted into or removed from the camera. The method of claim 2, The storage device is a digital camera combined PC camera, characterized in that the built-in storage device is fixed inside the camera. The method of claim 2, The controller may remove the image information stored in the storage device and update the image data to another image information when the stored data is deleted. The method of claim 2, The digital image information stored in the storage device is later transferred to a PC via the PC interface unit for processing, characterized in that the digital camera combined PC-mounted camera. The method of claim 4, wherein The PC interface unit, And a data selector for selecting one of the digital information from the storage device and the digital information from the sensor signal converter. The method according to claim 1 or 2, The sensor signal converter unit is a digital camera combined PC camera, characterized in that it comprises an image sensor and a signal converter. The method according to claim 1 or 2, The PC interface unit is a digital camera combined PC camera, characterized in that for transmitting data at high speed using a high-speed cable interface. In the camera with the digital camera combined use PC, (a) a light receiving unit; (b) a sensor signal converter which acquires an image through the light receiving unit and converts the image into digital information; (c) a storage device for storing the digital information; (d) a frame converter for converting the digital information read from the storage device or the digital information output from the sensor signal converter into a frame and a rate converter for adjusting the data rate according to a transmission speed; A PC interface unit for interfacing with a PC; And (e) a timing controller which receives the digital information and a synchronization signal output from the sensor signal converter and sends the digital information to a memory and outputs a timing control signal for writing and / or reading the contents of the memory from the storage unit; And a recording control unit for controlling the digital information to be written to the storage device using the timing control signal output from the timing control unit, and to read the digital information from the storage device using the timing control signal output from the timing control unit. A control unit for controlling the storage and / or transmission of the digital information to the PC interface unit, including a control unit for controlling the reading; The PC interface unit is a digital camera combined PC camera, characterized in that for transmitting data at high speed using a high-speed cable interface.