GB2252470A

GB2252470A - Recording or playback mode selection in a video camera

Info

Publication number: GB2252470A
Application number: GB9115298A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Woo Bum Lee
Original assignee: Samsung Electronics Co Ltd
Current assignee: Samsung Electronics Co Ltd
Priority date: 1991-01-30
Filing date: 1991-07-15
Publication date: 1992-08-05
Also published as: KR100189867B1; GB9115298D0; JPH05342695A; KR920015868A; DE4123395A1

Abstract

A method of controlling electronically a video camera capable of recording on to a video tape or playing back a pre-recorded video tape to generate a video signal, comprising the steps of preparing the camera for operation by connecting a power source, then testing for the presence of a tab on the video tape indicative of whether the tape is capable of or intended for recording, and then, depending on the result of this testing operation, implementing either a recording or a playback mode of operation of the camera. <IMAGE>

Description

1 1 MODE SELECTION IN A VIDEO CAMERA The present invention relates to a

video camera having recording (camera) and playback (video) functions, and to a mode selecting method for such a video camera in which the video mode or the camera mode is selected.

In a generally used video camera, as shown in Fig. 1 if signals which are selected from a transmitting device 1 comprising a key-matrix are inputted, a MICOM (Microcomputer) 2 outputs control signals for driving a drive section 3 and a circuit section 4. The drive section 3 has a motor which is driven by an input signal and the circuit section 4 processes audio and video signals.

In general, the video camera operated in the manner described above generally includes a camera mode for recording and a video mode for playback. In such a video camera, if a mode converting switch SW1, which is connected to an input side of the MICOM 2, is set to the camera mode, then the system is controlled in such a manner that the signals inputted from a camera 5 should be recorded. On the other hand, if the mode converting switch SW1 of the video camera is set to the video mode, 2 then the system is so controlled as to process signals played back (regenerated) from the video tape.

Where a person uses the camera for the first time, its operation should start by setting appropriately the mode converting switch of the video camera. However, the mode converting operation is too complicated for an unskilled person who is ignorant of the operating manner of the camera mode and the video mode. Further, when operating the mode converting switch, errors-frequently occur, and therefore there is a need for some means for reducing or preventing error.

The problem is that the user needs to understand all the functions concerning the operation of the mode converting switch, and the operating state of the video camera which results from the selection of the mode has to be predicted by the user. If it is not perfectly understood by the user as to whether the operating state is normal or not, then the manipulation of the mode converting switch becomes difficult.

The present invention is intended to overcome the above described disadvantages of the conventional video cameras.

Accordingly, the invention provides a method of 3 controlling electronically a video camera capable of recording on to a video tape or playing back a pre-recorded video tape to generate a video signal, comprising the steps of preparing the camera for operation by connecting a power source, then testing for the presence of a tab on the video tape indicative of whether the tape is capable of or intended for recording, and then, depending on the result of this testing operation, implementing either a recording or a playback mode of operation of the camera.

The invention also provides a video camera for selectively recording on a video tape or playing back a pre-recorded video tape to generate a video signal, comprising means for detecting the presence of a tab on the video tape indicative of its suitability for recording, and producing a signal indicative of the presence or absence of the tab, and an electronic control circuit for preparing the camera for operation by connecting a power source and then responsive to the tab-presence signal to implement either a recording or a playback mode of operation of the camera.

Usually, if the tab exists, then a conversion is made to the camera mode, and if the tab is absent, a conversion is made to the video mode. Such tabs are found on commercially available video tape cassettes at a 4 standardised position.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing the mode selection method of the conventional video camera; and Fig. 2 is a flow chart showing the mode selecting method of a video camera embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a flow chart showing the mode selecting method of the conventional video camera. In Fig. 2 the mode selecting method comprises a preparatory routine L1 for preparing to drive the system after supplying the power source; and a mode selecting routine L2 for driving the system in accordance with the connection state of a mode converting switch after inputting the connection state of the mode converting switch and after preparing to drive the system by the preparatory routine Ll.

Te preparatory routine Ll includes: a step S1 of initialising the system; a step S2 of scanning as to whether there is an inputted key after the completion of the step S1; a discriminating step S3 for deciding as to whether the key inputted at the step S2 is a power source supply key; a discriminating step S4 for deciding as to whether a camera housing is open in the case where it is determined in discriminating step S3 that the power source supply key has been input.

The mode selecting routine L2 is implemented if it is found at the discriminating step 84 that the housing is closed, and this mode selecting routine 12 includes: a discriminating step S5 for deciding as to whether a mode selecting switch SW1 is switched to the video mode; a step S6 for carrying out the video mode, if it is found at the step S5 that the mode selecting switch SW1 is switched to the video mode; and a step S7 for carrying out the camera mode, if it is found that the mode selecting switch SW1 is not switched to the video mode.

That is, the whole system is initialized at the step S1 for the preparatory routine Ll, and then, a key-scanning is carried out as to what the inputted key is at the step S2. Then, after the key-scanning of the step S2, a check is made as to whether a power source supply key is inputted at the step S3.

If it is found that a power source key is inputted, a check is made at the step S4 as to whether the housing is open. If it is found at the discriminating step S4 that the housing is open, and therefore that correct I 6 operation of the system would be impossible, the driving of.the system is inhibited.

However, if it is found at the discriminating step S4 that the housing is closed, a check is made at the discriminating step S5 of the mode selecting routine as to whether the mode selecting switch SW1 is connected to the video mode, and if it is found that the video mode is selected, the video mode is carried out at the step S6. On the other hand, if it is found at the step S5 that the mode selecting switch SW1 is not connected to the video mode, the camera mode is carried out at the step S7. That is, each time a shift is made between the video mode and the camera mode, the user has to manipulate the mode selecting switch SW1 manually.

Fig. 3 is a flow chart showing the mode converting method of a video camera embodying the present invention; the method includes a preparatory routine L10 and a mode selecting routine L1 1.

The preparatory routine L10 is constituted in a similar way to that of the conventional method. However, the mode selecting routine L11 includes: a discriminating step S5 for automatically deciding as to the existence of a tab on the tape in the housing, in the event that it is found at the discriminating step S4 of the preparatory 7 routine L10 that the housing is not open; a step S6 for automatically carrying out the camera mode if it is found at the discriminating step S5 that the tab exists; and a step S7 for automatically carrying out the video mode if it is found at the discriminating step S5 that no tab exists.

The whole system is initialized by the step S1 of the preparatory routine L10, and a scan is carried out at the step S2 as to whether there is an inputted key.

A check is made at the discriminating step S3 as to whether the key inputted at the step S2 is a power supply key, and, if it is found that a power source supply key is inputted, a check is made at the discriminating step S4 as to whether the housing is open.

If it is found at the discriminating step that the housing is open, the drive of the whole system is stopped. However, if it is found at the discriminating step S4 that the housing is closed, or that it has been reclosed, a check is automatically made at the discriminating step SS of the mode selecting routine L11 as to whether a recordable tape is loaded, i.e. whether the tab is present at the correct place.

If it is found that a tab is present on the loaded tape, 8 then the input signals are automatically processed in the camjera mode at the step S6. However, if it is found at the discriminating step S5 that no tab is present on the video tape, then the step S7 is automatically carried out to process the input video signals in the video mode, i.e. the playback mode.

Thus, the existence or absence of a recordable tape is determined by a MICOM, and the selection of the video mode (playback) or camera mode (recording) is decided by the detected signals.

Thus, the mode conversion is carried out in an automati manner without manually operating the switch, thereby simplifying the operation of video camera.

X 9

Claims

Claims:

1. A method of controlling electronically a video camera capable of recording on to a video tape or playing back a pre-recorded video tape to generate a video signal, comprising the steps of preparing the camera for operation by connecting a power source, then testing for the presence of a tab on the video tape indicative of whether the tape is capable of or intended for recording, and then, depending on the result of this testing operation, implementing either a recording or a playback mode of operation of the camera.

2. A method according to claim 1, in which the preparing step includes determining whether the video camera housing is open, and continuing to the tab testing step only if it is not open.

3. A method of controlling the video camera, substantially as described herein with reference to Figure 3 of the accompanying drawings.

4." A video camera for selectively recording on a video tape or playing back a pre-recorded video tape to generate a video signal, comprising means for detecting the presence of a tab on the video tape indicative of its suitability for recording, and producing a signal I indicative of the presence or absence of the tab, and an electronic control circuit for preparing the camera for operation by connecting a power source and then responsive to the tab-presence signal to implement either a recording or a playback mode of operation of the camera.

5. A video camera according to claim 4, comprising means for determining whether the housing of the camera is open and producing a signal indicative of the result of this determination, wherein the control circuit responds to that housing status signal to carry out the tabpresence test only if the housing is determined to be closed.

6. A video camera substantially as described herein with reference to Figure 3 of the accompanying drawings.