JP2001136475A - Electronic camera system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an electronic camera system provided with both a still picture photographing function and a moving picture photographing function that can realize moving picture recording through consecutive moving picture photographing to the utmost even when capacities of recording media is a relatively limited. SOLUTION: This invention discloses the electronic camera system provided with both the still picture photographing function and the moving picture photographing function. The electronic camera has two kinds of recording media, that is, a memory card 50 mainly for photographing a still picture and an MO disk 60 mainly for photographing a moving picture. A recording changeover section 31 switches the recording medium to the memory card 50 in the case of photographing a moving picture in a system controller 3 when an MO residual capacity detection section 30 discriminates that the residual capacity in the MO disk 60 is insufficient.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electronic camera device having both a still image photographing function and a moving image photographing function.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, electronic cameras that convert a subject into image data by an electronic imaging function and record the image data on a recording medium have become widespread. The electronic camera includes a digital video camera whose main function is moving image shooting, in addition to an electronic still camera also called a digital camera.

As a recording medium used in an electronic camera, there are a memory card using a flash memory and a disk drive using a magnetic disk or a magneto-optical disk (MO disk). Since digital image data inherently has a large amount of information and a tendency to improve the image quality (higher pixels) of a captured image, there is an increasing demand for a large-capacity recording medium in an electronic camera.

On the other hand, the main body of an electronic camera has been reduced in size and weight. For this reason, as a recording medium, a small memory card is more suitable than a relatively large disk drive. However, when it is assumed that image data captured by an electronic camera is taken into a personal computer or the like and various processing processes are performed,
A disk drive that is also used as an external storage device of a personal computer is easier to use.

Further, recent electronic cameras have been developed which have a function of photographing moving images for a short time in addition to the function of photographing original still images. A memory card is not sufficient for recording moving image data, and a large-capacity disk recording medium is more suitable. In short, as a recording medium for an electronic camera, not only a small but small-capacity memory card, but also a large-capacity disk drive is particularly important for an electronic camera having a moving image photographing function.

[0006]

As described above, there is an increasing demand for an electronic camera that can selectively use a plurality of types of recording media such as a memory card and a disk drive according to the purpose of use. In particular, in an electronic camera having both a still image shooting function and a moving image shooting function, a function that can selectively use a plurality of types of recording media is effective.

In a video camera having a moving image photographing function as a main function, a video tape is used as a recording medium, so that a long moving image can be recorded. There has also been proposed a video camera capable of exchanging a plurality of disks by using a disk changer (for example, see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-309773).

On the other hand, it is not practical to equip a large-sized disc changer with an electronic camera which is small and emphasizes mobility. Therefore, even an electronic camera that can use a disk drive cannot record a moving image for a much longer time than a video camera. For this reason, in particular, when moving image shooting is performed in a state where a disk with insufficient remaining capacity is set, a situation in which sufficient continuous shooting cannot be performed easily occurs. Further, when the remaining capacity of the disk is exhausted, it is not possible to perform additional recording by shooting a moving image in a short time of, for example, about several minutes.

Accordingly, a first object of the present invention is to provide an electronic camera device having both a still image photographing function and a moving image photographing function, even if the capacity of a recording medium is relatively limited, as much as possible. It is to realize moving image recording by continuous moving image shooting.

A second object of the present invention is to provide an electronic camera capable of performing additional recording in a short time even when a standard recording medium for recording a moving image has no remaining capacity at the time of capturing a moving image. It is in.

[0011]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A first aspect of the present invention is as follows.
In an electronic camera device having both a still image shooting function and a moving image shooting function, in the case where the remaining capacity of the first recording medium that has a plurality of types of recording media and records a moving image at the time of shooting a moving image is insufficient, An electronic camera device configured to record a moving image by switching to a second recording medium.

More specifically, each recording medium has a relatively large capacity, a first recording means for recording moving image data during normal moving image shooting, and a second recording means having a relatively small capacity. Means. Further, the apparatus further comprises a detecting means for detecting the remaining recordable capacity of the first recording means, and a first means for detecting the remaining capacity of the first recording means when the remaining capacity of the first recording means has fallen outside an allowable range at the time of capturing a moving image. Switching from the recording means to the second recording means,
And control means for controlling to record moving image data obtained by moving image shooting.

With an electronic camera having such a configuration, in the case of a disk drive using, for example, an MO disk as the first recording means, the M
Moving image data is recorded on the O disk. At this time, M
If the remaining capacity of the O disk is insufficient, control is performed so that moving image data is recorded as a second recording unit, for example, on a memory card. Therefore, by using the MO disk and the memory card, it is possible to reliably record a moving image in a continuous moving image shooting as a result.

Therefore, by temporarily using the memory card, it is possible to exchange the MO disk, and as a result, it is possible to realize the continuous operation of moving image shooting. Also,
Even if there is no remaining capacity of the MO disk after the end of a series of moving image shootings, additional recording of moving images by, for example, several minutes of moving image shooting can be performed on the memory card.

A second aspect of the present invention is that, as described above, when the remaining capacity of, for example, the MO disk as the first recording means is insufficient, the moving image is recorded on the second recording means, for example, a memory card. The present invention relates to an electronic camera for forcibly terminating moving image recording when the remaining capacity of the memory card is insufficient in control for recording data. That is, the process of switching the recording medium from the MO disk to the memory card is performed only once. Even in this case, if a warning is displayed for replacing the MO disk, the user can be prompted to replace the recording medium.

[0016]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

(Configuration of Electronic Camera) FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a main part of an electronic camera according to the embodiment.
The electronic camera according to the present embodiment is assumed to be an electronic still camera (digital camera) having a still image shooting function, but it is needless to say that a digital video camera having a moving image shooting function as a main function and a still image shooting function is also used. Applicable.

As shown in FIG. 1, the electronic camera of the embodiment is roughly divided into a photographing system 1, an image processing system 2, a system controller 3, an input operation unit 4, a first recording system 6, and a second recording system. 5 and a display system 7. In addition to this, there is an output system for outputting image data to the outside, but the description is omitted in this embodiment.

The photographing system 1 includes a lens 10, an aperture unit 11, a shutter 12, an image pickup device 13 including a CCD, and an image pickup circuit 1.
4 and an A / D converter 15. CCD13
Is an image sensor having several million pixels. Imaging circuit 14
Are exposed, controlled by the system controller 3.
Processing such as readout processing of an image pickup signal from the CCD 13, element shutter control, and ON / OFF control of power supply to the CCD 13 are performed.

Normally, the power supply to the CCD 13 is turned off, and the power supply is turned on by the imaging circuit 14 in response to the operation of turning on the shutter release. The shutter release is turned on by pressing the release button 4 of the input operation unit 4.
Performed by 0. The shutter 12 opens and closes under the control of the system controller 3 and closes when an image signal is read from the CCD 13 (at the time of photographing a still image).

The A / D converter 15 converts an image pickup signal read from the CCD 13 by the image pickup circuit 14 into digital image data. Further, the photographing system 1 is provided with an A / F mechanism (not shown). The lens 10 has the A /
The focus (zoom) drive is performed by the F mechanism.

The image processing system 2 includes a still image processing unit 20, a moving image processing unit 21, first and second buffer memories 22,
25, a still image compression / expansion processing unit 23, and a moving image compression / expansion processing unit 24.

The first buffer memory 22 temporarily stores still image data processed by the still image processing unit 20 or moving image data processed by the moving image processing unit 21. The image data (still image or moving image) stored in the first buffer memory 22 is transmitted to a display system (EVF) 7.
Is displayed on a liquid crystal panel 71 disposed on the back of the camera body, for example, via the display control unit 70 of the camera. The still image processing unit 20 and the moving image processing unit 21 include an image processing CPU (microprocessor) and a memory storing a control program therefor.

The still image compression / decompression processing unit 23 performs image compression processing on the image data (still image data) stored in the first buffer memory 22 according to, for example, the JPEG method and stores the image data in the second buffer memory 25. . Further, the still image compression / decompression processing unit 23 performs image decompression processing on the image data stored in the second buffer memory 25 and stores the image data in the first buffer memory 22. Similarly, the moving image compression / decompression processing unit 24 converts the image data (moving image data) stored in the first buffer memory 22 into, for example, a motion JPEG
The image is compressed in the second buffer memory 25
To be stored. In addition, the moving image compression / decompression processing unit 24
The image data stored in the buffer memory 25 is subjected to image expansion processing and stored in the first buffer memory 22.

The second buffer memory 25 is connected to the first and second recording systems 6,5. Second recording system 5
Is a memory card (flash memory) 50 called, for example, a smart media or a compact flash as a recording medium, and an interface (I /
F) Consists of 51. The first recording system 6 is an MO drive including a magneto-optical disk (MO disk) 60 as a recording medium and a controller 61 including an interface (I / F).

The memory card 50 has a storage capacity of, for example, about 2 to 64 Mbytes, and is mainly used for still image shooting (for still image data). On the other hand, the MO disk 60 has a relatively large capacity of, for example, about 730 Mbytes, and is used for both moving image shooting (for moving image data) and still image shooting. The memory card 50 or the MO disk 60 used as a recording medium is selected according to the operation of the selection key 42 of the input operation unit 4.

The system controller 3 is a control CPU.
(Microprocessor) and a memory in which a control program is stored, and controls each element (including AF, AE, etc.) of the photographing system 1, the image processing system 2, the recording systems 5, 6, and the display system 7. . Also, the system controller 3
Receives operation inputs of various operation buttons (or operation keys) from the input operation unit 4. The input operation unit 4 of the embodiment includes a release button 40, a moving image recording button 41, and a selection key 42.

The system controller 3 includes an MO remaining capacity detecting unit 30 and a recording destination (recording medium) switching unit (hereinafter, referred to as a recording switching unit) 3 as elements related to the embodiment.
One. The MO remaining capacity detection unit 30 has a function of detecting (monitoring) the remaining capacity (capacity capable of storing new data) of the MO disk 60 via the MO drive 6 when capturing a moving image (recording a moving image). Have. The MO remaining capacity detection unit 30 also has a function of determining whether or not a new MO disk 60 has been replaced.

The recording switching unit 31 includes an MO remaining capacity detection unit 30
Then, it is determined whether or not the MO disk 60 can be used as it is at the time of moving image shooting based on the remaining capacity detection result from. Further, based on the determination result, when the remaining capacity of the MO disk 60 is out of the allowable range (in a state where new data cannot be stored), the recording switching unit 31 performs control to switch the recording destination of the moving image to the memory card 50. Execute In this case, the recording switching unit 31 outputs a message prompting the replacement of the MO disk to the display system 7 or drives a buzzer (not shown) provided in the camera body to output a warning sound. When a new MO disk is replaced,
The recording switching unit 31 executes control for switching the moving image recording destination from the memory card 50 to the MO disk 60 again.

Further, the recording switching unit 31 includes a write-back processing unit 32
After the moving image shooting (moving image recording) is completed, the moving image data recorded on the memory card 50 is transferred to the MO disk 6
A function of writing back (copying) to 0 is provided.

(Moving Picture Shooting Operation) Hereinafter, the moving picture shooting operation of the embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 2 together with FIG.

First, a still image is captured by closing the shutter 12 in response to the operation of the release button 40 of the input operation unit 4 (NO in step S1). Here, by operating the selection key 42 of the input operation unit 4, one of the memory card 50 and the MO disk 60 is selected as a recording medium for recording a still image obtained by photographing a still image.

In the image processing system 2, the still image data processed by the still image processing unit 20 is, for example, selected via the first buffer memory 22, the image compression / decompression unit 23, and the second buffer memory 25. The recorded data is recorded on the memory card 50. At the time of still image reproduction, the image data read from the memory card 50 is stored in the first buffer memory 22.
Image compression / decompression unit 23 and first buffer memory 22
Is sent to the display system 7 via the. In the display system 7, a photographed and recorded still image is displayed on the liquid crystal panel 71.

On the other hand, the moving image recording button 40 of the input operation unit 4
In response to the operation, the moving image shooting operation is executed (YES in step S1). That is, the moving image processing unit 21 processes the moving image data obtained from the photographing system 1 and stores it in the first buffer memory 22 (step S2). Here, at the time of moving image shooting, the MO disk 60 is basically set as a recording medium. Note that the memory card 50 can also be selected with the selection key 42 of the input operation unit 4. Image compression /
The decompression unit 24 compresses the moving image data and sends it out to the MO disk 60 via the second buffer memory 25 (Step S3).

Here, the MO remaining capacity detection unit 30 of the system controller 3 starts monitoring the remaining capacity of the MO disk 60 at the time of shooting a moving image, and has a sufficient remaining capacity (for example, time) enough to record the shot moving image. (Several minutes or more) is determined (step S4). If the remaining capacity of the MO disk 60 is sufficient, the process is continued until the recording of the moving image ends (YES in step S4, S8).

On the other hand, when the remaining capacity of the MO disk 60 is insufficient (out of the allowable range), the recording switching unit 31 of the system controller 3 switches the recording destination of the moving image from the MO disk 60 to the memory card 50. The control is executed (NO in step S4, S5). Therefore, the moving image processing unit 2
The moving image data stored in the second buffer memory 25 by the first and image compression / decompression units 24 is recorded on the memory card 50 via the interface 51.

Since the memory card 50 has a smaller storage capacity than the MO disk 60, a large amount of moving image data cannot be recorded. Therefore, the recording switching unit 31 outputs a message prompting the replacement of the MO disk to the display system 7 and drives a buzzer provided in the camera body to output a warning sound. As a result, the MO disk 60 having no remaining capacity and a new M
The exchange with the O disk can be prompted. When a new MO disk is exchanged, the recording switching unit 31 changes the moving image recording destination from the memory card 50 to the MO disk 60 again.
Is executed (YES in step S7).
The system controller 3 continues the recording operation of the moving image data on the memory card 50 until the recording of the moving image is completed even when the new MO disk is not replaced (NO in step S6, NO in S7).

Next, when the moving image shooting (moving image recording) ends, the write-back processing unit 32 of the recording switching unit 31 writes back (copies) the moving image data recorded on the memory card 50 to the MO disk 60. Is performed (YES in step S9, S10). However, if the remaining capacity of the MO disk 60 is insufficient, the write-back processing unit 32 stops the copying operation (NO in step S11). MO disk 60
Is sufficient and the copy operation is completed, the write-back processing unit 32 deletes the moving image data from the memory card 50 (step S12).

As described above, according to this embodiment, when capturing a moving image, the moving image data is recorded using the MO disk 60 having a relatively large capacity. At this time, if the remaining capacity of the MO disk 60 becomes insufficient and it becomes impossible to continue moving image shooting, the memory card 5 is automatically used as a recording medium.
Switch to 0. Therefore, moving image shooting can be continued for a limited time. In the present embodiment, the process for switching to the memory card 50 and the process for prompting the replacement of the MO disk are executed, so that the moving image shooting can be continued without interruption halfway using the new MO disk that has been replaced. it can.

Further, when it is desired to execute additional recording of a moving image for a certain period of time when the remaining capacity of the MO disk 60 is exhausted, the additional recording can be realized by using the memory card 50. With the function of copying moving image data recorded on the memory card 50 to the MO disk 60, additional recording of moving images can be realized on the MO disk 60.

(Modification of the Embodiment) FIG. 3 is a flowchart relating to a modification of the embodiment.

According to the present modification, when the remaining capacity of the memory card 50 is insufficient when switching from the MO disk 60 to the memory card 50 as a recording medium, the system controller 3 performs moving image recording (moving image shooting). The process is forcibly terminated (step S27). Note that step S2 of this modification example
The processes from 1 to S25 are the same as the processes (steps S1 to S5) of the embodiment shown in FIG.

In this modification, the system controller 3
Monitors the remaining capacity of the memory card 50 at all times. M
If the remaining capacity of the O disk 60 is insufficient, the recording switching unit 31 executes control for switching the recording destination of the moving image from the MO disk 60 to the memory card 50 (Step S24).
NO, S25). Therefore, the moving image data stored in the second buffer memory 25 by the moving image processing unit 21 and the image compression / decompression unit 24 is recorded on the memory card 50 via the interface 51.

Here, if the remaining capacity of the memory card 50 is also insufficient, the system controller 3 forcibly terminates the recording before terminating the moving image recording (moving image shooting) (step S2).
7). Then, after the end of the moving image shooting or the forced termination, the write-back processing unit 32 of the recording switching unit 31 executes an operation of writing back (copying) the moving image data recorded on the memory card 50 to the MO disk 60 (step). S29 to S
31). However, in the present modification, the copy operation is not performed until the MO disk 60 having no remaining capacity is replaced with a new MO disk (step S30). When the copy operation is completed, the write-back processing unit 32 deletes the moving image data from the memory card 50 (Step S).
32).

As described above, according to this modification, the process of switching the recording destination from the MO disk 60 to the memory card 50 at the time of shooting a moving image is performed only once. In other words, the additional recording of the moving image shooting is realized by the memory card 50 without assuming the exchange of the MO disk. On the other hand, in the embodiment, when the remaining capacity of the MO disk 60 is exhausted at the time of capturing a moving image, the memory card 50 is used until the MO disk is replaced. Therefore, naturally, in this embodiment, there is no replacement of the MO disk, and the memory card 50 is not replaced.
When the remaining capacity is exhausted, the moving image recording ends.

Further, in the present modified example, when copying a moving image recorded on the memory card 50, it is assumed that a new MO disk is exchanged (see the processing in step S30). This has the effect of eliminating the need for checking the remaining capacity of the MO disk during the copy processing.

In this embodiment, after the moving image recorded on the memory card 50 is copied to the MO disk 60, the system controller 3 performs the recording optimization processing of the MO disk 60 in response to an instruction from the input operation unit 4. May be provided. With this configuration, the MO
In the disc 60, the recording positions of the moving image data recorded by moving image shooting and the moving image data copied from the memory card 50 are optimized. Therefore, when playing back a captured moving image using moving image data read from the MO disk 60, there is an effect that a high-speed moving image display can be realized.

[0048]

As described above in detail, according to the present invention, in an electronic camera device having both a still image photographing function and a moving image photographing function, the electronic camera device can be switched to a plurality of kinds of recording media, thereby being possible. It is possible to realize moving image recording by moving image shooting as continuous as possible. Further, even when there is no remaining capacity of a standard recording medium for recording a moving image during moving image shooting, additional recording can be performed in a short time.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a main part of an electronic camera according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exemplary flowchart for explaining a moving image shooting operation related to the embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a moving image capturing operation according to a modified example of the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Photographing system 2 ... Image processing system 3 ... System controller 4 ... Input operation part 5 ... Second recording system 6 ... First recording system 7 ... Display system 10 ... Lens 11 ... Aperture part 12 ... Shutter 13 ... Image sensor (CCD) 14 imaging circuit 15 A / D converter 20 still image processing unit 21 moving image processing unit 22 first buffer memory 23, 24 image compression / expansion unit 25 second buffer memory 30 MO Remaining capacity detection unit 31 Recording switch unit 32 Write-back processing unit 40 Release button 41 Movie recording button 42 Selection key 50 Memory card 51 Interface 60 Magneto-optical (MO) disk 61 Controller (interface) 70 ... Display control unit 71 ... Liquid crystal panel

Continued on the front page F term (reference) 5C022 AA13 AB40 AC03 AC18 AC32 AC42 AC52 AC54 5C052 AA03 AA17 CC01 CC11 DD02 EE08 GA01 GA03 GA06 GB06 GC01 GC10 GE04 GE08

Claims (7)

[Claims] An imaging unit configured to convert a subject image into image data; a still image processing unit configured to generate still image data for capturing a still image by using the image data obtained from the imaging unit; A moving image processing means for generating moving image data for moving image photographing using image data from the means; a first memory for recording the moving image data during normal moving image photographing with a relatively large capacity; Recording means, a second recording means for recording the still image data or the moving image data with a smaller capacity than the first recording means, and a recordable remaining of the first recording means. Detecting means for detecting the capacity; and when the moving image is captured, when the detecting means detects that the remaining capacity of the first recording means has fallen outside an allowable range, the first recording means The second recording means An electronic camera device comprising: a control unit that controls to record moving image data obtained by capturing a moving image. 2. The control device according to claim 1, wherein when the recording medium included in said first recording device is replaced, the recording destination of the moving image data obtained by moving image shooting is changed from said second recording device. 2. The electronic camera device according to claim 1, wherein the electronic camera device has a function of switching to the first recording unit. 3. The control means according to claim 1, further comprising:
3. The electronic camera device according to claim 2, further comprising a function of copying moving image data recorded in said second recording means to said first recording means. 4. The recording medium included in the first recording means when the detection means detects that the remaining capacity of the first recording means has decreased to a value outside an allowable range. 2. The electronic camera apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a function of executing a warning display for prompting replacement of the electronic camera. 5. The control unit executes a recording optimization process for the first recording unit after a process of copying moving image data from the second recording unit to the first recording unit is completed. 4. A function having a function.
An electronic camera device according to claim 1. 6. An image capturing means for converting a subject image into image data; a still image processing means for generating still image data for capturing a still image using image data obtained from the image capturing means; A moving image processing means for generating moving image data for moving image photographing using image data from the means; a first memory for recording the moving image data during normal moving image photographing with a relatively large capacity; A recording unit, a second recording unit for recording the still image data or the moving image data with a smaller capacity than the first recording unit, a first recording unit and the second recording unit. Detecting means for detecting a recordable remaining capacity of the recording means; and, when capturing a moving image, when the detecting means detects that the remaining capacity of the first recording means has decreased to outside an allowable range, The first recording means When switching to the second recording means to record the moving image data obtained by moving image shooting, and when the detecting means detects that the remaining capacity of the second recording means has decreased to a value outside the allowable range. An electronic camera device comprising: control means for controlling the recording operation of moving image data to be forcibly terminated. 7. The control unit, after forcibly terminating the recording operation of the image data, displays a warning display for urging replacement of a recording medium included in the first recording unit or the second recording unit. 7. The electronic camera device according to claim 6, wherein the electronic camera device has a function of executing the electronic camera.