JP2002189993A - Portable information recording and reproducing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a portable information recording and reproducing device which has high performance and is useful. SOLUTION: A system controller 40 applies format processing that selectively sets or changes a format for image or a format for PGM to a memory card 20. A rewriting program can be recorded on the memory card 20 in which the format for PGM is set. The system controller 40 applies rewriting processing to a control program or a program for image processing stored in a flash memory 51 by using the memory card 50 in which a program file for rewriting processing is stored in a program rewriting mode.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention generally relates to a portable information recording / reproducing apparatus such as an electronic camera, and more particularly, to a function of selectively setting an information recording format for a recording medium used in the apparatus. The present invention relates to a portable information recording / reproducing apparatus provided with the above.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, portable information recording / reproducing apparatuses represented by electronic cameras (or digital cameras) have begun to spread. The electronic camera has a function of converting a captured image into digital image data, recording the digital image data on a recording medium, and reproducing the image from the recording medium on a screen of an LCD (liquid crystal display). In addition to the electronic camera, a portable telephone, a portable audio recording / reproducing device (including a reproduction-only audio player), and the like are also included in the device. The information handled by the device includes audio information, text information, and the like, in addition to images (including moving images) from the electronic camera.

Such a portable information recording / reproducing apparatus uses a removable recording medium and records information on the recording medium. The recording medium includes a memory card, a magneto-optical disk, a hard disk drive, and the like. The recording medium requires a format process (formatting or initialization process) according to the type of information to be recorded.

Generally, a general format is set on a recording medium, and a user cannot freely change the format. Therefore, the purpose of use of the recording medium, for example, for recording an image, cannot be changed to another purpose of use, for example, for recording a program.

[0005]

A recording medium used in a portable information recording / reproducing device such as an electronic camera is set in a format suitable for the purpose of use from the beginning, and the format is adapted to another purpose of use. Can not be changed. Conventionally, an electronic camera or the like having a function of identifying whether or not a format is compatible with a recording medium has been proposed (for example, see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-225252).

[0006] However, there is no device provided with a function capable of freely changing the format of a recording medium by operating the user. As described above, portable information recording / reproducing devices handle many types of information, and require changes (upgrading) of device control programs and image processing programs as information processing becomes more diversified. More often. In such a case, it is possible to temporarily store (download) the change program (rewrite program) in a recording medium and rewrite an existing program stored in a memory inside the apparatus from the recording medium. It is very useful if.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to make it possible to selectively set the format of a recording medium in a portable information recording / reproducing apparatus such as an electronic camera and to use the recording medium for recording a plurality of types of information. By doing
An object of the present invention is to provide a high-performance and useful portable information recording / reproducing apparatus.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a portable information recording / reproducing apparatus which uses a removable recording medium and records and reproduces various kinds of information such as images, sounds and programs on the recording medium. The present invention relates to an apparatus having a function of selecting a format of a recording medium from a plurality of types according to types of information.

More specifically, the present apparatus comprises a mounting means for removably mounting a recording medium, a format selecting means for selecting one format from a plurality of types of information-related formats, and a format selecting means. Format executing means for executing formatting on the recording medium mounted on the mounting means in accordance with format information on the selected format.

With such a configuration, by changing the format according to the type of information to be recorded (image, sound, program, etc.), information can be recorded and reproduced on the same recording medium. Therefore, as a specific example, when this apparatus is applied to an electronic camera, usually,
The electronic camera records a captured image on a recording medium and reproduces the image from the recording medium. Here, when it is desired to change the control program or the image processing program of the electronic camera, if the electronic camera to which the present invention is applied, the format of the recording medium can be changed to a format necessary for recording the program. A rewriting program can be downloaded to a recording medium formatted for the program by, for example, a personal computer. The control program and the image processing program recorded inside the electronic camera can be changed by the rewriting program recorded on the recording medium.

As described above, the present apparatus is applied not only to an electronic camera but also to a mobile phone, a portable audio player, and the like, so that a plurality of types of information (so-called multimedia information) can be recorded and reproduced. A mobile information device can be realized.

[0012]

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

This embodiment assumes a case where the present invention is applied to an electronic camera as a specific device. That is, the portable information recording / reproducing device of the present invention assumes an electronic camera as a device for recording / reproducing image information, and additionally, mobile information such as a mobile phone or a voice player for recording / reproducing voice information or text information. It is also applicable to devices.

(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 roughly divided into a photographing system 1, a recording system 2, a display / output system 3, and a control / operation system 4.
The imaging system 1 includes an optical lens unit (including a zoom lens, an aperture unit, an autofocus (AF) lens, and the like) 10
, An imaging element 11, an imaging circuit 12, and an A / D converter 13. The AF lens system of the optical lens unit 10 is driven and controlled by the actuator drive circuit 14 under the control of a system controller 40 described later.

The image sensor 11 normally has a C of several million pixels.
It has a CD (charge coupled device) 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 device 11 and performs various kinds of signal processing such as AGC (automatic gain adjustment) processing, CDS (correlated double sampling) processing, and A / D conversion processing. The imaging circuit 12 generates image data composed of digital signals corresponding to the photographed subject.

The recording system 2 has a memory card 20, a card slot 21, and a memory interface 22. The memory card 20 is photographed by the photographing system 1,
It is a removable recording medium for storing an image (image data) compressed by the image compression / expansion circuit 52. As a recording medium, a removable magneto-optical disk (MO) other than the memory card 20 or a microminiature card-type hard disk drive may be used.

The display / output system 3 is an LCD (liquid cryst).
al display) monitor 30, a video output circuit (video driver) 31, a video memory 32, and a video output terminal 33. The LCD monitor 30 has a video memory 3
In accordance with the display data stored in 2, a through image at the time of shooting, a reproduced image from the memory card 20, an operation menu screen, and the like are displayed. The video output terminal 33 is an external output terminal for transmitting a video signal from the video output circuit 31 to an external monitor such as a television device. Further, the display / output system 3 includes an external input / output terminal 3 for communicating with an external device (for example, a personal computer).
4 and an external interface (such as a serial interface) 35.

The control / operation system 4 is roughly divided into an operation processing system and an image processing system. The operation processing system includes a system controller 40 as a main element, an operation input unit 41, and a nonvolatile memory (EEPROM) 42. The image processing system includes a microprocessor (RIS) as a main element.
C processor 50, a flash memory 51, an image compression / decompression circuit 52, and a digital signal processor (D
SP) 53, the imaging adjustment circuit 54, and the buffer memory 5
5

The RISC processor 50 operates according to an image processing program stored in the flash memory 51 and controls the image processing system. The image compression / expansion circuit 52 performs processing on the image data obtained by the photographing operation.
For example, each process of JPEG image compression and image decompression is executed. The DSP 53 executes digital signal processing related to various types of image processing, and executes
Control. The imaging adjustment circuit 22 roughly includes an AE (automatic exposure) function 54A, an AF (automatic focus) function 54B, and an AWB (automatic white balance) function. The buffer memory 55 is a temporary storage memory for temporarily storing an image (compressed or expanded image data) during a shooting operation and a reproducing operation.

The system controller 40 operates according to a control program stored in the flash memory 51, and executes operation control related to the embodiment. More specifically, an operation instruction input from the operation input unit 41 is received and transmitted to the RISC processor 50, and an operation menu screen or the like necessary for operating the camera is displayed on the mode LCD 43 or the LC LCD.
The control for displaying on D30 is executed. Further, the system controller 40 controls the strobe light emitting unit 60, the actuator drive circuit 14, and the power supply unit 70. The power supply unit 70 controls power supplied from a battery (including a charging battery) 71. Here, the EEPROM 42
Is a nonvolatile memory that mainly stores lens adjustment values of the optical lens unit 10 (see FIG. 2B).

The operation input section 41 is composed of a group of operation switches such as operation buttons, dials, and keys necessary for operating the camera. Specifically, a menu / OK button 400, a display (DISP) button 401, a cross key 402, a release button 403, a mode setting dial 404, and the like are provided. The menu / OK button 400 is a button for displaying an operation menu screen on the LCD 30 and for confirming selection items. The DISP button 401 is a button for switching ON / OFF of a through image display on the LCD 30 during a shooting operation. The cross key 402 includes up, down, left, and right keys, and is an operation key for moving a cursor on a menu screen. The release button 403 is a button used for performing a release operation at the time of a shooting operation, erasing an image recorded on the memory card 20, and the like. The mode setting dial 404 is a dial for setting a shooting mode and a playback mode.

(Format Processing of Recording Medium) As described above, the memory card 20 is assumed as the recording medium of the embodiment. Hereinafter, a configuration relating to a formatting process (formatting) of the memory card 20 will be described.

First, a flash memory 51, which is an internal memory of an electronic camera, stores a basic program unit 51A, a control program unit 51B, a DSP program unit 51C, and an adjustment value table 51D, as shown in FIG. 2A. are doing. The basic program unit 51A is a program related to the basic operation of the system controller 40 and the RISC processor 50, and the rewriting process is prohibited. The control program unit 51B mainly includes a control program related to the operation of the system controller 40. The DSP program section 51C includes an image processing program related to the operation of the DSP 53. The adjustment value table 51D is table information including various adjustment values required for image processing.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 3, the memory card 20 is roughly divided into a data area 201 for storing image files and program files, and a format information area 20.
It consists of 0. The format information area 200 stores format information on a format corresponding to the type of information stored in the data area 201. The format information has a type called CIS (card information system) data 200A or device code (DC) 200B. Regardless of the format information, this embodiment has a user management area for storing identification information 300A, 300B for identifying either image format information or program format information.

Next, referring mainly to the flowcharts of FIGS. 8 and 9, the memory card 20 according to the embodiment will be described.
The procedure of the format process will be described.

First, it is assumed that the memory card 20 is installed in the card slot 21. When the menu button 400 of the operation input unit 41 is operated, the system controller 40 displays a menu screen on the LCD 30. By operating the cross key 402 from this menu screen, a card setup screen is displayed as shown in FIG. The card setup screen includes a format item in addition to an erase item of the data area 201 of the memory card 20 and a program rewrite item described later. When this format item is selected, the system controller 40
A formatting process (formatting) for the inserted memory card 20 is executed.

Here, in the embodiment, an image format and a program (PGM) format can be selected. That is, the image format is a format for recording image information (image file) that is normal for an electronic camera on the memory card 20.
The PGM format is a control program (control program unit 51B) or an image processing program (DSP program unit 51B) used in the electronic camera.
This is a format for recording a rewrite program for rewriting C) on the memory card 20.

The system controller 40 performs a preparation process as shown in FIG. 7 before executing the format process. That is, when the memory card 20 is inserted, the format information area 200 is accessed to determine whether or not the memory card 20 has already been formatted.
The inquiry process is executed on the screen of No. 0. In the state where the memory card 20 is formatted, if the type selected in the formatting process is the same, the process of “erase confirmation” is executed. On the other hand, if the type selected in the format processing is different from the current format type, a “change confirmation” process is executed. “Erase confirmation” means that in the format processing, data (image or program) in the data area 201 recorded in the memory card 20 in the current format is erased.
This is a confirmation process to that effect.

FIG. 8 shows a procedure of a format process when an image format is selected. On the other hand, when the PGM format is selected, the system controller 40 executes a format process in the procedure shown in FIG. 9 (NO in step S1). System controller 40
Performs the above-described preparation processing when the image format is selected (YES in step S1, S2). That is, when the current memory card 20 is in the PGM format, the system controller 40 displays a format change confirmation screen on the LCD 30 (step S2).
NO, S3). On this confirmation screen, the O
If the K button 400 is not operated, the process ends without executing the formatting process (N in step S4).
O). Also, as described above, the current memory card 20
If is in the image format, an erasure confirmation process is executed.

When the execution of the format processing is OK,
The system controller 40 executes the quick formatting for the image on the memory card 20 according to the identification information (300A or 300B) of the format information area 200 described above (YES in step S4, S5).
YES, S6). The quick formatting is a short-time format process in which only the information in the format information area 200 is changed. On the other hand, the system controller 40 determines the identification information (300A or 300B).
Is performed on the memory card 20 (YES in step S4, S5).
NO, S7). The normal formatting is a format process for erasing not only the format information area 200 but also the existing data in the data area 201 and formatting the entire area of the memory card 20.

The system controller 40 executes a checking process after the formatting. If it is OK, the formatting process is terminated. If there is an abnormality, the fact is displayed on an alarm display screen. (Steps S8, S9).

On the other hand, when the PGM format is selected, the system controller 40 executes a format process in accordance with the procedure shown in FIG. 9 (Y in step S11).
ES). Even in this case, the system controller 40
The above-described preparation processing is executed (step S12). That is,
If the current memory card 20 is in the image format, the system controller 40 displays a format change confirmation screen on the LCD 30 (N in step S12).
O, S13). On this confirmation screen, OK
If the button 400 is not operated, the process ends without performing the formatting process (N in step S14).
O). If the current memory card 20 is in the PGM format, an erasure confirmation process is executed.

When the execution of the format processing is OK,
The system controller 40 sends the PG to the memory card 20 according to the identification information (300A or 300B).
The M quick formatting is executed (YES in step S14, YES in S15, S16). On the other hand, the system controller 40 sends the P to the memory card 20 according to the identification information (300A or 300B).
Execute GM normal formatting (step S
14: YES, S15: NO, S17).

The system controller 40 executes a checking process after the formatting. If the checking is OK, the formatting process is terminated. If there is an abnormality, the fact is displayed on an alarm display screen. (Steps S18, S19).

(Program Rewriting Processing) Referring mainly to the flowchart of FIG.
The procedure of the program rewriting process for rewriting the program file stored in the flash memory 51 by the rewriting program recorded in the flash memory 51 will be described.

As described above, the memory card 20 stores the PG
It is assumed that a rewriting program (for example, a version-up program) has been downloaded, for example, via a personal computer or the Internet after executing the format processing for M.

The system controller 40 has a slot 2
The identification information (300A, 300B) included in the CIS data or the DC is read from the format information area 200 of the memory card 20 inserted in the memory card 1, and it is determined whether image information or a program is recorded (step S21). ). In the case of a normal memory card 20 for recording image information, the system controller 40 shifts to a normal operation of the electronic camera (YE in step S21).
S).

On the other hand, the identification information (300A, 300A
According to B), if the memory card 20 is not in either the image format or the PGM format, the system controller 40 displays a warning on the LCD 30 (NO in step S22, NO in S23). Here, as shown in FIG. 4, the program rewriting process is selected and instructed from the card setup screen. Further, as shown in FIG. 5, when a program rewriting mode (PGM) is selected and instructed by the mode dial 404 of the operation input unit 41, a program rewriting process is executed. When the instruction of the program rewrite mode is given, the system controller 40 executes a warning display such as “It is not a memory card for a program” on the LCD 30. (NO in step S22, N in step S23)
O, S28).

Further, the system controller 40 searches the directory name indicating the PGM of the program file stored in the memory card 20, and if not found, executes a warning display such as "Dir not found". . (NO in step S24, S29). Here, as shown in FIG. 6, the program files stored in the memory card 20 have directory names as
"PGM01", "PGM02", "DSP01",
"ADJ01" and the like. Here, "PGM0
“1” and “PGM02” mean rewriting programs of the control program unit 51B, “DSP01” means a rewriting program of the image processing program (DSP program unit 51C), and “ADJ01” is a rewriting table of the adjustment value table 51D. Means

Further, the system controller 40 searches the rewriting program main body of the program file stored in the memory card 20, and if not found, executes a warning display such as "program not found". (NO in step S25, S30). on the other hand,
When a file other than the program file is stored in the memory card 20, the system controller 40 executes a warning display such as “there is a file other than the program”. (Y in step S26
ES, S31).

In cases other than the occurrence of an error as described above,
The system controller 40 reads out the rewrite program main body from the program file stored in the memory card 20 and executes a program rewrite process for rewriting the programs (control or DSP programs 51B and 51C) stored in the flash memory 51 ( Step S
26, YES, S27).

As described above, the electronic camera of the embodiment is
Format the same memory card 20 for image format or P
Any of the GM formats can be set or changed. Therefore, usually, the memory card 20 used as a recording medium for recording image information in an image format can be used for recording a rewrite program. Thus, the control program and the image processing program (DSP program) used in the electronic camera can be rewritten using the memory card 20.

The program file can be written to the data area 201 in the memory card 20 only when the formatting process of the PGM format is executed. Therefore, in other cases, the data write operation (download) to the memory card 20 is prohibited. This allows
For the memory card where the image files are stored,
By erroneously storing the program, it is possible to prevent a situation in which the image file is deleted.

Further, an audio file may be simultaneously recorded on a memory card formatted to record an image file. This is because, for example, when recording a moving image, sound may be recorded together with the image, and it is more convenient to record the data as the data at the time of photographing on the same card.

Further, in this embodiment, as a recording medium,
Although an electronic camera using one memory card 20 is assumed, an electronic camera that can selectively use a plurality of types of recording media is not limited thereto. Naturally, a process for selecting a recording medium to be subjected to the format process is required.

Although the present embodiment is supposed to be applied to an electronic camera, it can also be applied to a mobile information device such as a mobile phone or a voice player other than the electronic camera as described above.

[0047]

As described above in detail, according to the present invention, a portable information recording / reproducing apparatus which uses a removable recording medium and records and reproduces various kinds of information such as images, sounds, and programs on the recording medium. In the device, the format of the recording medium can be selectively set or changed. Therefore, by enabling the recording medium to be used for recording a plurality of types of information, a high-performance and useful portable information recording / reproducing apparatus can be provided.

[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 contents stored in an internal memory of the electronic camera according to the embodiment;

FIG. 3 is an exemplary view showing contents stored in a memory card of the electronic camera according to the embodiment;

FIG. 4 is an exemplary view showing a card setup screen when executing a memory card formatting process according to the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is an exemplary view showing types of mode setting by a mode dial according to the embodiment;

FIG. 6 is an exemplary view showing an example of the structure of an image file and a program file related to the embodiment.

FIG. 7 is an exemplary view for explaining a procedure of a memory card formatting process according to the embodiment;

FIG. 8 is an exemplary flowchart for explaining the procedure of a memory card formatting process according to the embodiment;

FIG. 9 is an exemplary flowchart for explaining the procedure of a memory card formatting process according to the embodiment;

FIG. 10 is an exemplary flowchart for explaining the procedure of a program rewriting process according to the embodiment;

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Photographing system 2 ... Recording system 3 ... Display / output system 4 ... Control / operation system 10 ... Optical lens unit 11 ... Image sensor (CCD) 12 ... Imaging circuit 13 ... A / D converter 14 ... Actuator drive circuit 20 ... Memory Card (recording medium) 30 LCD 32 Video memory 40 System controller 41 Operation input unit 42 EEPROM 43 Mode LCD 50 RISC processor 51 Flash memory 52 Image compression / expansion circuit 53 DSP 55 Buffer memory 60 … Strobe flash unit

Claims (9)

[Claims] 1. A mounting means for removably mounting a recording medium for recording various information such as images, sounds, and programs, and a format selection for selecting one format from a plurality of types of formats related to the information. Means for performing formatting on a recording medium mounted on the mounting means in accordance with format information relating to the format selected by the format selecting means. Playback device. 2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the format selection unit is capable of selecting at least one of respective formats necessary for recording image information or a program on a recording medium mounted on the mounting unit. The portable information recording / reproducing device according to claim 1. 3. The portable information according to claim 1, wherein the format executing means executes normal formatting for formatting the entire area of the recording medium or quick formatting for formatting only the management area of the recording medium. Recording and playback device. 4. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: an obtaining unit configured to obtain identification information for identifying a format type from a recording medium mounted on the mounting unit, wherein the format selecting unit performs a format change confirmation process according to the identification information. 2. The portable information recording / reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a format selection process is performed. 5. The portable information recording / reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said format executing means records identification information for identifying a format type in a management area of a recording medium at the time of formatting. 6. The format execution means, when a format required for recording a program is selected by the format selection means, a format relating to the format is provided to a recording medium mounted on the mounting means. 2. The portable information recording / reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the write prohibition is released only when information is recorded. 7. The mounting means is configured such that a plurality of recording media of the same type or a plurality of types of recording media can be mounted, and the format selecting unit and the format executing unit include the mounting unit. 2. The portable information recording / reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each function is executed on a recording medium selected from the group consisting of: 8. A means for recording a rewriting program on a recording medium on which a format necessary for recording a program by the format executing means has been executed, wherein the rewriting program is initialized by the rewriting program. 8. The portable information recording / reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for executing a rewriting process of the operation control program. 9. The portable information recording / reproducing device according to claim 1, wherein the portable information recording / reproducing device is any one of an electronic camera device, a mobile phone, and an information device having a function of recording and reproducing image and voice information.