FR2653291A1 - Single image video camera equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

Single image video with an image signal transmitter has a signal converter for the image signal into an image data signal, which can be handled by an external image processor. A control supplies the image data signal to the external processor. The signal converter pref. contains an A/D converter, a memory for the converted digital signal, and a digital signal processor converting the stored signal into an image data signal. Typically the memory is of a RAM type, and the digital signal processor contains a CPU. The control may comprise a driver, converting the image data signal into a preset standard communication signal and transmits the same.

Description

 The present invention relates to a fixed video apparatus, such as a still video camera (electronic still camera) in which the image signals of the captured or reproduced images can be input directly to an image processing apparatus such as a personal computer.

 Various fixed video cameras are known in which images (images or graphics) are recorded in the form of electrical signals as well as various fixed video playback devices in which images taken (recorded) by a still video camera are displayed or printed. The term "video camera" which will be used later comprises the fixed video camera and the fixed video reproduction device.

 In a current computer, especially in a personal computer, not only information consisting of numerical values and letters, but also image information can be processed. The image information, for example, the image data read by an image reader is inputted to a personal computer via a transmission interface placed inside the personal computer. The transmission interface used is usually standardized (eg RS-232C or SCSI, etc.).

 The standard (criterion) of image transmissions in a fixed video apparatus, however, is not identical to the standard of the transmission interface mentioned above. To enter the recorded image of the still video device in a personal computer as image data, it is thus necessary to place an image data transmission interface inside the computer. staff.

The image data transmission interface placed in the personal computer, however, comprises a signal processing circuit in addition to the similar signal processing circuits placed in the fixed video apparatus, the circuit arrangement becomes globally complex, of so that the number of steps to complete the signal processing is increased, leading to deteriorated image signals.

 The main object of the present invention is to create a still video apparatus having an input / output device in which the recorded image signals can be directly input to an image processing device such as a personal computer. it does not include an image signal transmission interface.

 To achieve the above-mentioned purpose, in accordance with the present invention, there is created a fixed video apparatus having image signal transmitting means for outputting an electrical image signal, comprising signal conversion means for converting the image signal to an image data signal that can be processed by an external image processing device and an interface that outputs the image data signal to the external image processing device.

With this arrangement, the image electrical signal recorded in the video camera can be inputted to an image processing device such as a personal computer which does not have a specific interface for the image signal as a as image data,
In the case of a still video apparatus having a recording function and a reproducing function, the apparatus includes an interface that receives and transmits an image data signal to and from an external image processing device. and signal conversion means for converting the image signal read by the reproducing means into an image data signal or converting the image data signal inputted from the interface into a signal image that can be recorded on the recording medium.

 With this arrangement, the image data processed by the personal computer can be recorded in the video camera.

 The invention is also applied to a video camera. Another object of the present invention is thus to create a compact fixed video camera in which the still image can be input to the image processing circuit having no image interface.

 To achieve the aforementioned purpose, in accordance with another object of the present invention, there is created a fixed video camera comprising a camera body which includes image forming means for converting an object image to be captured into a an electrical image signal, a recording means for recording the image signal on a recording medium and a reproducing means for reading the image signal recorded on the recording medium and an adapter which is removably mounted on the camera body and comprising signal conversion means for converting the image signal extracted from the recording medium by the reproducing means into an image data signal which can be processed by an external image processing device and an interface that outputs the image data signal to the image processing device.

 With this construction, when the adapter is removed from the camera body, an image can be taken by a compact fixed video camera without the adapter, similar to a conventional fixed video camera. When the adapter is mounted on the camera body, the image taken by the camera can be inputted to the image processing device, such as a personal computer not including an image interface, in the form an image data.

 Preferably, the camera body comprises an external output terminal from which the image signal is output and the adapter has an image input terminal which can be connected to the output terminal of the camera body. .

The invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which
Fig. 1 is a block diagram of a first embodiment of a fixed video apparatus according to the present invention.

 Fig. 2 is a block diagram of a second embodiment of a video apparatus in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 3 is a block diagram of a third embodiment of a fixed video apparatus according to the present invention.
Fig. 4 is a simplified view of a video camera, a TV screen and a personal computer interconnected in accordance with the present invention.

 Fig. 5 is a block diagram of an embodiment of a still video camera to which the present invention is applied.

Fig. 6 is a simplified perspective view of a still video camera shown in FIG. 5, and
Fig. 7 is a simplified perspective view of a fixed video camera and a personal computer connected thereto in accordance with the present invention.

 Fig. 1 shows an example of a control circuit of a fixed video apparatus 10 having an image signal input device in accordance with the present invention.

 A video signal consisting of a luminance signal and a color signal, etc., is inputted from, for example, a fixed video camera (CCD image forming device / etc. to a terminal of image input 11 of the fixed video apparatus 10. The video signal input from the image input terminal is processed to be divided into a luminance signal and a color signal in a signal processing circuit. 13, is frequency modulated by a frequency modulation circuit 15, is amplified by a recording amplifier 17 and is then applied to a magnetic head 21 via a selection switch 19. The processed signal is recorded on a predetermined track of a magnetic recording disk 23 as a recording medium by the magnetic head 21.The image signal processing circuit 13, the frequency modulation circuit 15, the amplifier recording 17 and the head my Genetics 21 constitute an image signal recording device.

 The magnetic disk 23 is rotated at a constant speed by a servomotor 25 which is driven by a control circuit 27. The servocontrol circuit 27 controls the rotational speed of the servomotor 25 and the alignment of the magnetic head 21 in accordance with the pulse signals outputted from a PG 29 coil.

The operations of the image signal processing circuit 13, the switching action of the selection switch 19 and the motor control as well as the alignment control of the servo circuit 27 are performed by a system control unit. 31. The system control unit 31 usually consists of a microcomputer which generally controls the operation of the components or devices of the fixed video apparatus, in accordance with the program stored in the internal ROM incorporated in the micro-computer. computer
The image signal recorded on the magnetic disk 23 is read by the magnetic head 21 and is then delivered to the reproduction amplifier 33 via the selection switch 19. The image signal consisting of a signal of Luminance and a color signal amplified by the reproduction amplifier 33 is demodulated by a frequency demodulation circuit 35 and is then processed to become a video signal by an image signal processing circuit 37. The video signal is output to an image output terminal 39. When an image input terminal of a TV screen 61 is connected to the image output terminal 39, the image can thus be viewed on the screen. TV screen 61 (Fig. 4). The magnetic head 21, the reproduction amplifier 33, the frequency demodulation circuit 35 and the image signal processing circuit 37 constitute a reproduction device.

 A functional portion 41 includes various switches (not shown) that are connected to the system control unit to actuate the beginning and end of the recording and reproduction of the fixed video apparatus. Fixed video camera functions such as "recording in progress", "playback in race, or the recording track or the playback track, etc.

the indication is controlled by the control unit of the system 31.

 The aforementioned construction is similar to that of the conventional fixed video apparatus.

The next examination will focus on the interface which is one of the most important features of the present invention.

 Connected to the output of a frequency demodulation circuit 35, an A / D converter 45 converts the analog luminance signal and the analog color signal output from the frequency demodulation circuit 35 into a digital luminance signal and a digital color signal. and delivers the digital signals to the RAM 47 as a buffer via a data bus. The luminance and color signals for an image plane are successively written in the RAM 47 for each pixel unit.

 At the end of writing the image signals for an image plane in the RAM 47, the written luminance and color signals are processed to become digital image signals which can be delivered to the personal computer by a circuit The processed digital image signals are successively read and then output to an interface driver 49 via the data bus.

 The interface driver 49 converts the digital image signals from the RAM 47 into predetermined communication standard signals for delivery to an interface connector 51. That is, the data signals of image is output from the interface connector 51. As a result, if the interface connector 51 is connected to an interface connector of the personal computer 63, the image signals recorded on the magnetic disk 23 are inputted. to the personal computer 63 in the form of image information.

 An interface line driver 49 can input and output the image data so that when the image data signals are delivered to it via the interface connector 51, image are output to the RAM 47. The image data signals are successively written in the RAM 47 for each pixel, similarly to the reproduction.

 The image data for each image plane written in the RAM 47 is processed to become digital image signals which can be recorded on a magnetic disk 23 by the digital signal processing circuit. The digital image signals are successively extracted from the PAN 47 and are converted into analog image signals consisting of the luminance signals and color signals by the D / A converter circuit 55 to be delivered to the frequency modulation circuit 15.

 In a manner similar to the image signals outputted from the image signal processing circuit 13, the analog image signals are frequency modulated by a frequency modulation circuit 15, are amplified by the amplifier of 17 and are recorded on the magnetic disk 23 by the magnetic head 21.

The operations performed by the converter
A / N 45, of the RAM 47, the interface line driver 49 and the D / A converter 55 are controlled by the digital signal processing circuit 53. The digital signal processing circuit 53 is usually composed of a microcomputer that drives the converter
A / N 45, writes and extracts the data in and from the RAM 47, processes the digital image signals written in the RAM 47 and operates the interface line driver 49 as well as the D / A converter 55 , in association with the system control unit 31. The reproduction and recording operations via the interface connector 51 are performed by the functional part 41.Although the control unit of the system 31 and the digital signal processing circuit 53 are arranged separately in the illustrated embodiment, they can be constituted by the same microcomputer.

 Although the previous discussion has been directed to a still video apparatus having a recording function, the present invention can be applied to a still video apparatus for reproduction only, having no recording function, so that see it from the second embodiment of the present invention, described below and shown in FIG. 2.

 The circuit arrangement of the second embodiment shown in FIG. 2 does not include the image input terminal 11, the image signal processing circuit 13, the frequency modulation circuit 15, the selection switch 19 or the N / A converter circuit 55. Moreover, the construction of the second embodiment is similar to that of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1. In fig. 2, the components corresponding to those of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1 are designated by the same reference numerals.

 The composite image signals which are read by the magnetic disk 23 through the magnetic head 21 are amplified by the reproduction amplifier 33 and are demodulated by frequency by the frequency demodulation circuit 35 to be delivered to the data processing circuit. image signal 37 and the A / D converter 45.

The image signals consisting of the luminance signal and the color signal are processed to become video signals in the image signal processing circuit 37 and are then output to the image output terminal 39
The image signals transmitted from the frequency demodulation circuit 35 to the A / D converter 45 are converted into digital signals and are written into the
RAM 47 through the data bus for each pixel.

 The digital image signals written in the RAM 47 are processed to become digital image signals which can be delivered to the personal computer by the digital signal processing circuit 53. The digital image signals are successively read and delivered to the interface line driver 49 through the data bus. In the interface line driver 49, the digital image signals are converted to predetermined standard communication signals for delivery to the interface connector 51 in the form of image data signals. If an interface connector of the personal computer 63 is connected to the interface connector 51, the digital image signals are input to the personal computer 63 in the form of image data signals.

 Fig. 3 shows a control circuit in accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention. The third embodiment shown in FIG. 3 includes an interface for communication with a personal computer but does not have a normal image output terminal. In fig. 3, the components corresponding to those in the first or second embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals.

The image signals recorded on a predetermined track of the magnetic disk 23 are read by the magnetic head 21 and supplied to the reproduction amplifier 33 in which the image signals are amplified. The amplified image signals are then frequency-demodulated by the image signal processing circuit (frequency demodulation circuit) 37 and are supplied to the A / D converter 45 and the synchronous separation circuit 57. The signals of FIG. image input to the A / D converter 45 are converted to digital image signals and are successively written in the RAM 47. The synchronous signals are divided from the image signals in the synchronous separation circuit 57 so that the signals synchronous are delivered to the system control unit 59
The system control unit 59 successively writes the digital luminance signal and the digital color signal which are output from the A / D converter 45 into the RAM 47 for each pixel, in accordance with the synchronous signals. The system control unit 59 includes a microcomputer that generally controls the operations of the fixed video apparatus.

 The digital image signals for an image plane written in the RAM 47 are processed to obtain digital image signals which can be delivered to the personal computer by the control unit of the system 59 and are successively delivered to the circuit interface line driver 49 through the data bus. The digital image signals are converted to standard communication image signals predetermined by the interface line driver 49 to be delivered to the interface connector 51.

The fixed video apparatus of the third embodiment shown in FIG. 3 comprising the interface adapted to input the image signals recorded as image data to an external image processing device, the image signals can be inputted to a personal computer which does not include specific interface for image signals
In the third embodiment, because the image signals are converted into image data that can be input to the personal computer without going through the image signal processing circuit 37, the circuit arrangement is simplified, in comparison with the interface for the image data placed in the personal computer and the number of signal processing steps can thus be decreased, leading to less deterioration of the image signals.

 In the first embodiment, the image data can be recorded in the still video apparatus after various processes, such as composition of image data, insertion of letters, etc., are performed by the personal computer, so that the recorded image data can be viewed on the TV screen or printed. That is, the video camera can be used as an external image data memory of the personal computer.

 In other words, in the first embodiment, since the image data can be inputted and outputted, the fixed video apparatus serves as an external data memory for the personal computer and the images taken by an Fixed video camera can be restored after the various image processing has been done by the personal computer.

 It will be appreciated that the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment in which a personal computer interface is provided and may be used with a workstation, an available computer, a word processor, a facsimile machine. or other image processing devices capable of processing the image data.

 As can be seen from the foregoing, because the fixed video apparatus of the present invention can communicate with an external image processing device having no interface for the image data, it is possible to broaden the scope of the present invention.

 Application to a fixed video camera.

 The following discussion will be directed to an embodiment applied to a video camera (Figures 5 to 7).

 In fig. 6, the video camera comprises a camera body 111 and an image input / output adapter 161 which can be removably mounted on the camera body 111. The camera body 111 is provided on its upper surface with A disk stack 115 in which a magnetic disk 23 (Fig. 5) is loaded and a trigger button 117 The camera body 111 has a lens 119 (Fig. 5) placed on its front surface. rear of the camera body 111 are placed a viewfinder (an eyepiece thereof> 121, a display panel 123 to indicate the photographic data, function switches 125 which regulate the photographic conditions, the photographic track and the track of On a side face of the camera body 111 there is placed a connector 127 which serves as an image output terminal and connection elements 129.

 On the side face of the image input / output adapter 161 is a connector 163 which can be connected to the connector 127 of the camera body 111 and connecting members 165 which can be adapted to the interior or to the the connection members 129 of the camera body 111 to make the image input / output adapter 161 integral with the camera body 111. The connecting members 129 and 165 can be removably connected to each other.

 The image input / output adapter 161 is provided on its back side with function switches 167 which control the transmission and on its opposite side face with an interface 169 corresponding to the interface of the personal computer. .

 The following description will apply more particularly to the internal circuit construction of the video camera shown in FIG. 6 (Fig. 5>.

 An object image to be taken which is formed on an image plane of an image forming device 131 by a lens 119 is converted into image signals (luminance signal and color signal) for each unit of image. pixel by the image forming device 131, so that the image signals are outputted to the image signal processing circuit 133 in which the image signals are processed to become an image signal consisting of a luminance signal and a color signal. The image signal is frequency modulated by a frequency modulation circuit 135 and is then amplified by a recording amplifier 137. The amplified image signal is supplied to a magnetic head 141 via a switch The image signal is recorded on a predetermined track of the magnetic disk 23 by the magnetic head 141. The image signal processing circuit 133, the frequency modulation circuit 165, the recording amplifier 137 and the magnetic head 141 form an image signal recording device.

 The magnetic disk 23 is rotated for a servomotor 143 which is in turn driven by a servocontrol circuit 145. The servocontrol circuit 145 controls not only the rotation of the servomotor 143 but also the alignment of the magnetic head 141. , in accordance with the pulse signals from a PG 149 coil.

 The composite image signals recorded on the magnetic disk 23 are read by the magnetic head 141 and are then output to the reproduction amplifier 151 through the selection switch 139.

 The composite image signals amplified by the reproduction amplifier 151 are demodulated by a frequency demodulation circuit 153 and then processed to become video signals which are output to the image output terminal 139. When an image input of a TV screen is connected to the image output terminal 139, the recorded image can be seen on the TV screen. The magnetic head 141, the reproduction amplifier 151, the frequency demodulation circuit 153, and the image signal processing circuit 155 form a reproducing device.

The image signal processing circuits 133 and 155, the switching function of the selection switch 139, the servomotor control and the alignment by the servo circuit 145 are controlled by a control unit of the system 149. The control unit of the system 149 usually consists of a microcomputer which generally controls the functions of the components of the fixed video camera in accordance with the program stored in the ROM of the microcomputer
The function switches 125 and the trip switch 117 are connected to the system control unit 149.The system control unit 149 operates the selection switches 139, sets the recording track or the reproduction track and sets the photographic mode to take an image and record it in accordance with the operation of the trigger button 125.

The display panel 123 indicates the information concerning the various functions of the video camera, such as "UNDER RECORDING", "IN PROGRESS",
REPRODUCTION ", the recording track or the reproduction track, or the photographic mode, etc. The indication is controlled by the control unit of the system 149.

 The aforementioned construction is similar to the construction of a conventional fixed video camera. The following discussion will be directed to an image input / output adapter 161 which is one of the most significant features of the present invention.

 The output of the frequency demodulation circuit 153 is connected to an image output terminal 127a of a connector 127 as an external output terminal.

The control terminal of the system control unit 149 is connected to a control terminal 127b of the connector 127.

It follows that the image signals (luminance signal and color signal) demodulated by the frequency demodulation circuit 153 are input to the image output terminal 127a.

 The connector 163 of the image input / output adapter 161 has an image input terminal 163a and a control terminal 163b respectively corresponding to the image input terminal 127a and the control terminal. 127b.

The image input terminal 163a and the control terminal 163b are respectively connected to an A / D converter circuit 171 and a digital signal processing circuit 177.

The output of the A / D converter 171 is connected to a RAM 173, an interface line driver 175 and the digital signal processing circuit 177 via a data bus. The digital signal processing circuit 177 includes a microcomputer which generally controls the functions of the converter circuit
A / D 171, the RAM 173 and the interface line driver 175.

 A luminance signal and a color signal, outputted from the frequency demodulation circuit 153, are input to an A / D converter circuit 171 via an image output terminal 127a and the terminal of image input 163a. The luminance signal and the color signal are converted into digital signals by the A / D converter circuit 171 to be outputted to the RAM 173. That is, the luminance signals and the color signals for a single plane of view. image are successively written in RAM 173 as a pixel unit of digital signals.

 The digital image signals for an image plane written in the RAM 173 are processed to become the digital image data signals that can be delivered to the personal computer. The digital image data signals are then successively read and then delivered to the interface line driver 175 via the data bus. The interface line driver 175 converts the digital image signals into predetermined standard transmission signals that are output to the interface connector 169.

That is, the image data signals are output from the interface connector 169. As a result, if the interface connector 169 is connected to an interface connector of the personal computer 63 , the image recorded on the magnetic disk 23 can be input to the personal computer 63 in the form of image data.

 The reproduction function, as mentioned above, is initiated by the function switch 137 which is connected to the digital signal processing circuit 177. When the transmission is initiated by the function switch 137, the digital signal processing circuit 177 supplies the reproduction start signal to the system control unit 149 via the control terminals 163b and 127b The system control unit 149 starts the reproduction function in response to the received reproduction start signal so that to read the image signals of an image plane recorded on the magnetic disk 23 through the reproducing device, so that the image signals are output from the image output terminal 127a to the image input terminal 163a.

 The image signals input to the image input terminal 163a are converted into image data via the A / D converter circuit 171, the RAM 173, and the interface line driver. 175 then exited from interface connector 169.

 The reproduction track is positioned by the function switch 117 of the camera body 111 in the illustrated embodiment. Alternatively, the reproduction track may be positioned by the function switch 167 of the image input / output adapter 161.

 As can be understood from the foregoing, in accordance with the present invention, when the image input / output adapter 161 is mounted on the camera body 111, the recorded image signals can be inputted. to the personal computer in the form of image data. The image input / output adapter 161 may be removed from the camera body 111 in normal photography to compact the camera.

 In the illustrated embodiment shown in FIG. 5, because the image signals are converted into image data that can be input to the personal computer without passing through the image signal processing circuit 133, the circuit arrangement is made simpler than the interface for the image data placed inside the personal computer, so that the number of signal processing steps can be reduced, resulting in less deterioration of the image signals.

 The present invention is not limited to the aforementioned illustrated embodiments and may be variously modified.

For example, if the output of the image forming device 131 is directly connected to the image output terminal 127a, the captured image can be input directly to the personal computer without passing through the magnetic disk 23.
If the camera body 111 has a function of recording the image signals from an external device, the image input / output adapter 161 may be constructed to convert the image data from the image. personal computer in image signals that have entered to the camera body 111. In this construction, the image processed by the personal computer can be recorded on the magnetic disk 23 and the recorded image can be viewed by a screen TV or can be printed.

 In addition, in the case of a video camera in which not only image signals but also sound signals can be recorded, because the image input / output adapter can be detachably on the camera body, according to the present invention, a separate adapter which has a sound input / output device incorporated therein can be selectively mounted on the camera body of the video camera to enter and output the sound signals. It is also possible to incorporate the sound input / output device into the image input / output adapter.

 As can be seen from the foregoing description, the video camera in accordance with the present invention can communicate with an external image processing device which does not have a specific interface for the image signals. mounting the image input / output adapter of the present invention on the camera body Removing the image input / output adapter from the camera body makes it possible to take an image by a conventional compact camera .

Claims (13)

 A fixed video camera characterized in that it comprises a camera body (111> which comprises an image forming means (131) for converting an object image to be taken into an image electrical signal, recording means (137) for recording the image signal on a recording medium (23) and reproducing means (151) for reading the image signal recorded on the recording medium, and an adapter (161) which is removably mounted on the camera body (111> and which includes signal converting means (171) for converting the image signal extracted from the recording medium by the reproducing means in an image data signal which can be processed by an external image processing device and an interface (169) which outputs the image data signal to the external image processing device.  The video still camera (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that said signal converting means comprises an A / D converter (171) which converts the image signal into a digital signal, a memory (173) which stores the converted digital image signal and a digital signal processing circuit (177) which converts the image signal stored in the memory into an image data signal which can be processed by the external processing device of image and delivers the image data signal thus obtained at a predetermined speed.  The video still camera (10) according to claim 2, characterized in that said memory comprises a RAM and said digital signal processing circuit (177) comprises a CPU.  The still video camera (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that said interface comprises an interface driver (175) which converts the image data signal into a predetermined standard transmission signal to output the standard transmission signal.  The video still camera (10> according to claim 1, characterized in that said adapter further comprises control means for initiating the reproduction operation of the reproduction means of the camera body <111>.  The video still camera (10> according to claim 1, characterized in that said camera body (111) comprises an external output terminal from which the image signal is outputted.  The video still camera (10) according to claim 6, characterized in that said adapter comprises an image input terminal which is connectable to the output terminal of the camera body (111).  A video still camera according to claim 1, characterized in that the camera body (111) includes an image forming means for converting an object image to be taken into an image electrical signal for outputting the electrical image signal, while the adapter (161) comprises signal conversion means for converting the image signal outputted from the image forming means into an image data signal which can be processed by an external image processing device and an interface that outputs the image data signal to the external image processing device.  The video still camera according to claim 8, characterized in that said signal converting means comprises an A / D converter which converts the image signal into a digital signal, a memory which stores the converted digital image signal and a digital signal processing circuit which converts the image signal stored in the memory into an image data signal which can be processed by the external image processing device and outputs the image data signal thus obtained at a predetermined speed.  The video still camera according to claim 9, characterized in that said memory comprises a RAM and said digital signal processing circuit (53, 177) comprises a CPU.  The video still camera of claim 8 characterized in that said interface comprises an interface driver that converts the image data signal into a predetermined standard transmission signal to output the standard transmission signal.  The video still camera according to claim 8, characterized in that said camera body (111) comprises an external output terminal from which the image signal is outputted.  The video still camera (10) according to claim 8, characterized in that said adapter comprises an image input terminal (127a) which is connectable to the output terminal of the camera body (111).