JP2001326842A - Electronic camera - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an electronic camera that is provided with a function of setting an image picked up in a prescribed direction into a proper display direction with simple operation without the need for provision of an exclusive sensor and an exclusive operation button or the like. SOLUTION: In the case of reproducing an image by an external monitor connected to an external output terminal 25, when a protect button of an operation section 40 is operated, a sub-CPU 41 receives the operation entry as an operation instruction of a display rotary function not as a protect function. A display image generating section 300 generates display data to rotate and display an original image to be reproduced in response to the operation of the protect button. A main CPU 30 uses the generated display data to display the image resulting from rotating and displaying the original image on the external monitor.

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 a function of changing a display direction of a display image.

[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. By the way, in photographing with an electronic camera, so-called landscape photographing (landscape photographing) is more common, but photographing in a portrait direction is not less. For this reason, the image data stored in the recording medium by the shooting operation is generally in a case where the shooting direction is mixed vertically and horizontally.

An electronic camera has a function of displaying a captured image on a monitor and reproducing the image. At the time of this playback, if the image shot vertically is displayed on the monitor,
Naturally, the display direction is also the vertical direction. When using a monitor such as an LCD (liquid crystal display) provided in the camera body, unless the camera is particularly large, the user can change the way of holding the camera and the display direction becomes natural.

[0004]

The electronic camera can reproduce a photographed image by using not only the LCD monitor of the camera body but also an external monitor such as a television device. However, when using an external monitor, unlike the LCD monitor of the camera body, it is difficult to change the attitude of the external monitor when playing back an image captured in a portrait orientation, so that the display state is difficult for the user to see. Becomes

Conventionally, there has been proposed an electronic camera that automatically detects a shooting direction of a camera and records information indicating the direction as additional information of image data (for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. HEI 1-1990).
0-173984). With such an electronic camera, it is possible to change the display direction to an appropriate display direction and display an image based on the direction information at the time of shooting. However, in order to automatically detect the shooting direction, a dedicated function including a dedicated sensor and the like is required. The incorporation of such a dedicated function into the camera body has the disadvantage of increasing the size of the body and increasing the manufacturing cost.

An electronic camera having a function of instructing and storing a display direction when displaying an image obtained by vertical shooting and displaying the image in the stored direction has also been proposed (for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. Hei 10 (1998)). -341392). However, since the information on the indicated display direction is stored in the RAM built in the camera body, there is a high possibility that the information is inadvertently deleted. When an image captured by the camera is reproduced on an external monitor using another camera, it is necessary to re-instruct the display direction.

[0007] On the other hand, especially in an electronic camera for miniaturization,
It is desirable to reduce the number of operation buttons as much as possible.
Therefore, a method of providing a dedicated button for setting the display direction of an image is a factor that hinders miniaturization.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a function capable of setting and reproducing an image photographed in a predetermined direction in an appropriate display direction by a simple operation without providing a special sensor or operation button. To provide an electronic camera device.

[0009]

An object of the present invention is to provide an operation member (operation button) that also serves as a normal operation function when a captured image is reproduced and the image is displayed by connecting to an external monitor.
The present invention relates to an electronic camera device having a function of changing the display direction of an image by using the function.

[0010] Specifically, the electronic camera device of the present invention comprises:
Output interface means for outputting a display image corresponding to image data obtained by the photographing operation to the outside,
Detecting means for detecting the connection between the output interface means and the external device, an operation member for inputting an operation instruction corresponding to a predetermined operation function, and displaying the display image to the external device detected by the detecting means. When the output image is reproduced, the operation instruction by the operation reception change unit that receives the operation instruction by the operation member as the display direction operation instruction corresponding to the function of changing the display direction of the display image, and the operation instruction by the operation reception change unit are specified. The image processing apparatus includes a generating unit configured to generate display image data in a display direction using the image data, and an output unit configured to output the display image data generated by the generating unit to the outside via an output interface unit.

The operating member is usually a protect button for inhibiting, for example, erasing of image data stored in the recording medium, and is composed of a camera body and an external device (external monitor).
It functions as an operation means for inputting a display direction operation instruction at the time of connection. The output interface means has a configuration connectable to an external device by a wired method or a wireless method.

With such a configuration, an image can be displayed on an external monitor in an appropriate direction without using a dedicated sensor or a dedicated operation button for changing the display direction during image reproduction. Further, by storing the display direction change instruction as attribute information of the image in the recording medium, it is possible to realize image display in an appropriate direction without requiring another instruction.

[0013]

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 is assumed to be an electronic still camera (digital camera), but can be applied to a digital video camera having a still image photographing function. As shown in FIG. 1, the electronic camera is roughly divided into a photographing system 1 and a display / output system 2.
And a control / operation system.

The photographing system 1 includes an optical lens unit (including a zoom lens, a diaphragm, an autofocus lens, and the like).
10, an imaging element 11, an imaging circuit 12, and an A / D converter 13. The imaging element 11 usually has a CCD (charge coupled device) of several million pixels, and photoelectrically converts a subject image incident through the optical lens unit 10. The image pickup circuit 12 receives an image pickup signal from the image pickup element 11 and performs various kinds of signal processing such as AGC (automatic gain adjustment) processing and CDS (correlated double sampling) processing. The A / D converter 13 converts an imaging signal (an analog signal corresponding to the number of pixels) obtained from the imaging circuit 12 into a digital signal (image data).

The display / output system 2 includes an LCD (liquid crystal display) monitor 23 for displaying a captured image during reproduction and an external output for outputting the display image to an external monitor (an external device such as a television device). And a terminal 25. The display / output system 2 includes a D / A converter 20, a video driver 21, an LCD driver 22, and a processing circuit for converting display data (VRAM described later) corresponding to a display image into a display output signal. And a video amplifier circuit 24. The D / A converter 20 converts display data into an analog signal. Video driver 21
Is a YCMIX signal (mixed signal of a luminance signal and a chrominance signal) from an analog signal output from the D / A converter 20.
Generate The LCD driver 22 performs predetermined signal processing (γ processing, etc.) on the YCMIX signal to
Output to the monitor 23. On the other hand, the video amplifier circuit 24
Converts the YCMIX signal from the video driver 21 into an NTS
The signal is converted into a C signal (NTSC standard video signal) and output to the external output terminal 25.

The control / operation system is roughly divided into an image processing system,
It comprises an operation control system and a storage system. The image processing system includes a main CPU 30 including a display image creation unit 300 and an image compression / decompression processing unit 31. The main CPU 30 includes, for example, a RISC microprocessor, controls the entire camera, activates the display image creation unit 300, and performs display resizing processing and display rotation processing (vertical and horizontal) according to the display direction change instruction of the embodiment. Conversion processing). Here, the display resizing process is a kind of thinning process. When the rotation display information added to the image data is vertical information, the process of changing the resizing condition (specifically, the horizontal resizing process is performed when the display resizing is performed). Smaller than the display). The image compression / decompression processing unit 31 executes, for example, JPEG image compression and image decompression processing on image data obtained by the shooting operation.

The operation control system includes an operation unit 40 and a sub CPU.
41 and an external connection detection unit 42. Operation unit 40
Is composed of a group of operation switches such as operation buttons, dials, and keys necessary for operating the camera. As related to the embodiment, a protect button, a cross key for frame advance,
The menu includes a menu button, a monitor button, a print reservation button, and a delete button (see FIG. 2). The sub CPU 41 is composed of, for example, a 4-bit microprocessor,
The main CPU 3 receives an operation instruction input from the
Transmit to 0. The main CPU 30 and the sub CPU 30
41 functions as a system controller of the camera body.

In this embodiment, when the sub CPU 41 receives the detection signal from the external connection detecting section 42, the sub CPU 41 issues an operation instruction by the protect button to a display rotation instruction (vertical / horizontal conversion instruction).
Accept as. The external connection detection unit 42 detects the connection between the external output terminal 25 and the external monitor (FIGS. 4 and 5).
See). Note that the protect button normally instructs the erasure prohibition (protection) of the image stored in the memory card 53. Further, when the protect button is operated again, an instruction to release the protect is issued.

The storage system is an SDRAM (Synchron).
ousDRAM) 50 and DRAM (Dynamic RA)
M) 51 and a flash memory (flash EEPROM)
M) 52 and a memory card 53. SDRAM
Reference numeral 50 denotes a high-speed image processing memory, which includes a VRAM (video RAM) 500 function for developing display data. The DRAM 51 is a buffer memory for temporarily storing image data from the photographing system 1. The flash memory 52 stores programs for the main CPU 30 and the sub CPU 41. The memory card 53 is a recording medium for storing a captured image (compressed image data). The recording medium is not limited to the memory card 53, but may be a microminiature hard disk drive or a magneto-optical disk (MO).

(Appearance of Camera Body) In the electronic camera body 100 of the embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, a button group of the operation unit 40 is provided on the back side with respect to the front side where the optical lens unit 10 is provided. And an LCD monitor 23 and the like. The buttons on the operation unit 40 include a protect button 400, a frame advance cross key 401, a menu button 402, a monitor button 403, and a print reservation button 40.
4. An erase button 405 is provided. A finder 200 is also provided on the rear side along with the LCD monitor 23. Further, an external output terminal 25 is arranged on a side surface of the main body.

Normally, the protect button 400 is a button operated when it is desired to inhibit erasure (protection) of an image recorded on the memory card 53. When this button 400 is operated, protection information is added to the header of the specified image file. When the button 400 is operated again, the protection is released.
In the embodiment, as described later, the protect button 40
The button 0 functions as an image display rotation instruction (vertical / horizontal conversion instruction) button when connected to an external monitor, in addition to a normal operation function.

The cross key 401 for frame advance is a right button 4
01A, a left button 401B, an upper button 401C, and a lower button 401D, which are used for frame advance at the time of reproducing a captured image (recorded image of the memory card 53). For example, when the right button 401A is operated, the next image can be viewed on the LCD monitor 23. When the left button 401B is operated, the image of the previous frame can be viewed on the LCD monitor 23. When the upper button 401C is operated, 10
The image before the frame can be viewed on the LCD monitor 23. When the lower button 401D is operated, an image 10 frames ahead can be viewed on the LCD monitor 23.

A menu button 402 is used for displaying a menu screen and setting a menu mode in the reproduction mode. The menu mode includes, for example, an initialization mode of the memory card 53, a brightness adjustment mode of the LCD monitor 23, and a date and time (date and time) setting mode. The monitor button 403 is an on / off switch of the LCD monitor 23. The print reservation button 404 is used to record information indicating the number of prints for each image stored in the memory card 53. The delete button 405 is used to delete an image for each frame stored in the memory card 53. However, an image protected (erasure prohibited) by the protect button 400 cannot be erased.

(Configuration of Connection to External Monitor and Configuration of External Connection Detecting Unit) When a captured image is reproduced on the television screen 111, as shown in FIG. A cable 10 is connected to a monitor (television device) 110 via an external output terminal 25.
Connected by 1. On the camera body 100 side, as shown in FIG.
1 is converted to an NTSC signal and sent to the external monitor 110 via the cable 101 connected to the external output terminal 25.

Here, the external connection detecting section 42 includes a DC power supply (Vcc), a pull-up resistor 420, and an external output terminal 25.
, Each terminal 25a to 25c, and ground (GN
D). The sub CPU 41 detects a connection state between the external output terminal 25 and the cable 101 according to an input voltage from the external connection detection unit 42. That is, as shown in FIG. 4, when the cable 101 is not connected, since the terminals 25a and 25c of the external output terminal 25 are in a non-conductive state, the DC voltage (Vc
c) is input. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 5, when the cable 101 is connected, since the terminals 25a and 25c of the external output terminal 25 are short-circuited,
The ground level is input to the PU 41.

(Operation in Reproduction Mode) Hereinafter, FIG.
The reproduction operation of the electronic camera according to the embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 6 to 8.

First, when a photographing operation (operation of a release button included in the operation unit 40) is executed, the main CPU 3
Image data (compressed image) corresponding to the captured image is recorded on the memory card 53 through the above-described various processes under the control of the system controller including the CPU 0 and the sub CPU 41 (step S1). In this case, the memory card 5
No rotation display information or protection information is added to the image file recorded in No. 3. Here, even if the user shoots the camera body 100 in the portrait direction, the image data is recorded as a correct position (a structure in which correct position information is added).

Next, when the mode dial included in the operation unit 40 is set to the reproduction mode, the system controller shifts to the reproduction operation (step S2). That is, main C
The PU 30 reads the designated image data from the memory card 53 in response to the operation of the frame advance cross key 401, and generates display data by the display image creation unit 300. The display / output system 2 converts the display data expanded in the VRAM 500 into a YCMIX signal or an NTSC signal.

The sub CPU 41 determines whether the external monitor 110 is connected to the camera body 100 according to the detection signal (input voltage level) from the external connection detection section 42 (step S3). When the external monitor 110 is not connected, the LCD monitor 2 of the camera body 100
3 is displayed (NO in step S3, S4).

Here, normally, as shown in FIG. 2, even when the image 240 is taken in a vertical orientation, the image 240
The image is displayed horizontally on the LCD monitor 23. The monitor 23
Date information 231 and frame number 232 are displayed simultaneously. At this time, when the protect button 400 of the operation unit 40 is operated, the main CPU 30 displays the protect mark 230 on the monitor 23, and displays the protect information for instructing the display image to be protected (erasure prohibited) on the memory card 53. (YES in step S5, S
6). The protection information is added to a header portion included in the image file of the memory card 53.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG.
When the external monitor 110 is connected to 0, reproduction on the television screen 111 of the external monitor 110 becomes possible (YES in step S3, S7). On the television screen 111 of the external monitor 110, as in the case of the LCD monitor 23, a horizontally long image is displayed and, if protection is set, a protection mark 230 is also displayed.

Here, the protect button 4 of the operation unit 40
When “00” is operated, the sub CPU 41 accepts not a normal protection setting function but an image display rotation instruction (vertical / horizontal conversion instruction) button (YE in step S8).
S). Accordingly, the main CPU 30 activates the display image creation unit 300 and executes the image display rotation process (vertical / horizontal conversion process) (step S9). Main CPU 30
Records in the memory card 53 the rotation display information instructing the set display rotation. The rotation display information is also added to the header included in the image file of the memory card 53. Thereafter, the image display processing based on the rotation display information is executed regardless of the case of the reproduction on the camera body 100 or the reproduction on the external monitor 110.

(Image Display Rotation Processing) FIGS. 7 and 8
The image display processing based on the rotation display information will be described in detail with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

First, when the protect button 400 is operated, as described above, the operation function is switched according to the connection of the external monitor 110 (step S1).
1). If the external monitor 110 is not connected to the camera body 100, setting or canceling protection of the image displayed on the monitor 23 becomes effective (step S18). That is, if the protection has already been set, the set protection is released in response to the operation of the protect button 400 (YE in step S18).
S, S21). Specifically, the protection information in the header part of the image data is deleted. On the other hand, if the protection is not effective at the time of the operation, the protection for the image displayed on the monitor 23 is set (N in step S18).
O). That is, the protection mark 230 is displayed on the monitor 23, and the protection information is added to the header of the image data (steps S19 and S20).

When the external monitor 110 is connected to the camera body 100, the operation of the protect button 400 is accepted as an image display rotation instruction (vertical / horizontal conversion instruction) button (YES in step S11). Main C
The PU 30 activates the display image creation unit 300 to execute the image display rotation process (vertical / horizontal conversion process).

The main CPU 30 determines whether or not the display direction of the currently displayed original image (240 in FIG. 2) is the correct position (step S12). At this time, the main CPU 30 determines that the image data is the correct position when the correct position information is added to the image data or when the rotation display information is not added. If the position is the correct position, the display image creating unit 300 generates display data so as to rotate and display the original image 90 degrees to the right (step S).
12: YES, S16). The main CPU 30 records the rotation display information on the memory card 53 (step S
15). By such display rotation processing, the original image 240 photographed vertically as shown in FIG. 2 is displayed as the image 241 rotated to the right 90 degrees as shown in FIG. At this time, the display resizing process as described above may be executed to display an image reduced from the original image. In this case, the left and right regions on the screen are black or blue background display.

On the other hand, if the original image is not at the correct position and rotation display information is added, the display image creation unit 3
00 generates display data such that the original image is rotated 90 degrees to the left if the rotation display information is a rotation instruction in the right direction of 90 degrees (YES in step S13, S1).
7). If the rotation display information is not a rotation instruction in the right direction by 90 degrees, display data is generated so that the original image is displayed at the normal position (NO in step S13, S1).
4). In any case, similarly, the main CPU 30 records the rotation display information or the correct position information on the memory card 53 (step S15).

Next, referring to the flowchart of FIG.
A reproduction operation in units of one frame in accordance with the operation of the frame-advancing cross key 401 will be described.

The main CPU 30 reads the specified image data from the memory card 53 in response to the operation of the frame advance cross key 401 (step S30). Main C
The PU 30 determines whether rotation display information is added to the image data (Step S31). If the rotation display information is not added, the main CPU 30
Executes the process of displaying the original image at the correct position (horizontal display) as shown in FIG. 2 (NO in step S31, S3)
8). At this time, as described above, if the protection is valid, the protection mark 230 is displayed, and the date information 231 and the frame number 232 are displayed (step S3).
4, S39, S35).

When the rotation display information is added and the rotation display information is a rotation instruction in the right direction by 90 degrees, the main CPU 30 converts the original image into the right direction by 90 degrees as shown in FIG. (YES in step S31, YES in S32, S3
3). Further, when the rotation display information is an instruction to rotate the image 90 degrees to the left, the main CPU 30 executes a display process for rotating and displaying the original image to the left 90 degrees (step S).
NO of S32, YES of S36, S37). Further, when the rotation display information does not correspond to either the rotation instruction in the right 90 degree direction or the rotation instruction in the left 90 degree direction, the main CPU 30 executes the display processing of the original image at the normal position (step (NO in S36, S38).

As described above, according to the present embodiment, when the external monitor 110 is connected to the camera main body 100 and the captured image is reproduced, the protect button 400 is used.
Image display rotation processing can be executed. Thus, for example, an image captured in a vertical direction can be displayed rotated 90 degrees to the right, so that an image can be displayed in a natural display direction in a normal landscape display. Further, since the rotation display information accompanying the display rotation processing can be added to the image data, the display rotation processing can be automatically executed based on the rotation display information during the subsequent reproduction.

Further, in this embodiment, during playback using an external monitor, the protect button 400 is also used as a button for instructing rotation in the display rotation process, so that a dedicated button is unnecessary. Further, a dedicated sensor for detecting the photographing direction is not required. Therefore, even if the functions of the embodiment are incorporated in the camera body, it does not prevent the camera body from being downsized.

In this embodiment, the protect button 40 is used as a dual-purpose button for the display rotation function (vertical / horizontal conversion function).
0, but not limited to this, the print reservation button 4
04 or the delete button 405.

[0045]

As described above in detail, according to the present invention, there is provided a function for setting an image to an appropriate display direction, particularly when an image is reproduced using an external monitor, without providing a dedicated sensor or an operation button. Can be realized. In addition, since the display direction change instruction can be recorded as image attribute information, it is possible to automatically perform image display in an appropriate direction. Therefore, it is possible to provide an electronic camera device having a useful function of changing the display direction (display rotation function) as well as miniaturization.

[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 view showing the appearance of the electronic camera body of the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a view showing a connection state between the camera body and an external monitor.

FIG. 4 is an exemplary view showing the configuration of an external connection detection unit according to the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the external connection detection unit and the sub CPU.

FIG. 6 is an exemplary flowchart for explaining the operation in the reproduction mode of the embodiment.

FIG. 7 is an exemplary flowchart for explaining the reproduction operation on the external monitor of the embodiment.

FIG. 8 is an exemplary flowchart for explaining display rotation processing of an image related to the embodiment;

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Photographing system 2 ... Display / output system 10 ... Optical lens unit 11 ... Imaging device (CCD) 12 ... Imaging circuit 13 ... A / D converter 20 ... D / A converter 21 ... Video driver 22 ... LCD driver 23 ... LCD monitor 24 video amplifier 25 external output terminal 30 main CPU 31 image compression / expansion processing unit 40 operation unit 41 sub CPU 42 external connection detection unit 50 SDRAM 51 DRAM 52 flash memory 53 memory card 300 ... Display image creation unit 500 ... VRAM

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────の Continued on the front page F term (reference) 5C022 AA11 AA13 AB68 AC01 AC03 AC32 AC42 AC77 5C023 AA03 AA18 AA31 AA37 BA01 CA02 CA05 DA04 DA08

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. An electronic camera device provided with an electronic imaging unit, comprising: an output interface unit for outputting a display image corresponding to image data obtained by the electronic imaging unit to the outside; Detecting means for detecting a connection with the device; an operating member for inputting an operation instruction corresponding to a predetermined operating function; and image reproduction for outputting the display image to an external device detected and connected by the detecting means. An operation reception changing unit that receives an operation instruction from the operation member as a display direction operation instruction corresponding to a function of changing a display direction of a display image; and a display specified in response to the operation instruction from the operation reception change unit. Generating means for generating display image data in a direction using the image data; and a display image generated by the generating means. Output means for outputting image data to the outside via the output interface means. 2. The electronic camera according to claim 1, wherein the detection unit detects a connection between an image transmission cable of the external device and an output terminal included in the output interface unit. apparatus. 3. The electronic camera according to claim 1, wherein said detecting means is configured to detect a wireless communication connection enabling image wireless transmission between said external device and said output interface means. apparatus. 4. The electronic camera device according to claim 1, wherein the operation member is a protect button for instructing a function of prohibiting erasure of image data obtained by the electronic imaging unit. 5. The electronic camera device according to claim 1, further comprising a recording unit that records information corresponding to the display direction operation instruction on a recording medium as attribute information of image data corresponding to the display image. .