JP2003110974A - Image pickup device and its data protection method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image pickup device capable of recording image data obtained by photographing onto a medium and reading/reproducing the image data recorded on the medium, that minimizes a damage caused by external force. SOLUTION: The image pickup device is provided with; an acceleration sensor unit 32 that senses external force exerted to a digital still camera 10 by its acceleration; and a control section 24 that interrupts recording/reproducing of image data to/from a flash memory 31 being a recording medium when deciding that the external force is exerted to the camera 10 according to an output of the acceleration sensor unit 32.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image pickup apparatus such as a digital camera and a data protection method therefor.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Recently, in addition to a camera using a silver salt film (hereinafter referred to as "silver salt camera"), image data obtained by photographing is digitized and written in a recording medium such as a memory card. These digital cameras are becoming widespread.

In this type of digital camera, an optical image is captured in a film as a chemical reaction at the moment the silver salt camera takes a picture, whereas after the picture is taken, digital data is compressed according to a predetermined format. Since the writing is performed on the recording medium after the processing of step 1, the time lag required for the image processing occurs between the time when the shutter is operated and the photographing is performed and the time when the recording is performed on the medium. Become.

Therefore, in a digital camera which is supposed to be used while being carried, for example, when dropped from a high position,
If an external force exceeding the original design standard is applied, and the image data is being written to the recording medium, the camera itself will be destroyed and the correct data will be written on the medium. It is fully conceivable that the image data will be destroyed without being processed.

[0005]

As described above, in a digital camera, recording is performed on a medium with a time lag after photographing, so that a situation such as accidentally dropping the camera after photographing occurs. In addition, the image data obtained by photographing cannot be correctly recorded on the medium, and the image data may be destroyed.

In a digital camera equipped with a large-capacity recording medium such as a hard disk device or a magneto-optical disk device, in particular, the head portion for reading data on the medium, which is a rotating member, is a mechanical member not only during recording but also during reproduction. It is possible that the head portion collides with the surface of the rotating medium and destroys the data when a large external force is applied due to the contact or the close contact.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide an image pickup apparatus and a data protection method thereof capable of minimizing damage caused by external force. Especially.

[0008]

The invention according to claim 1 is
In an imaging device for recording image data obtained by imaging on a medium, and reading and reproducing the image data recorded on the medium,
Acceleration detecting means for detecting an external force applied to the apparatus by its acceleration, and recording of image data on the medium or recording from the medium when it is determined that the external force is applied to the apparatus by the output of the acceleration detecting means. And a control means for interrupting reading.

With such a configuration, the access to the recording medium is immediately interrupted when it is detected that an external force is applied, so that the image data on the recording medium is destroyed by some external force being applied. It is possible to minimize the storage.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the invention, the image data recorded in the medium after the recording of the image data to the medium by the control means or the interruption of the reading from the medium is interrupted. And a result output means for outputting the result obtained by the checking means.

With such a configuration, in addition to the operation of the invention described in claim 1, appropriate processing can be continued in accordance with the output of the check result.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a data protection method for an image pickup device, wherein image data obtained by image pickup is recorded on a medium, and the image data recorded on the medium is read out and reproduced.
Acceleration detection step of detecting an external force applied to the apparatus by its acceleration, and recording of image data on the medium when it is determined that the external force is applied to the apparatus by the detection output obtained in the acceleration detection step. Or a control step of interrupting reading from the medium.

According to such a method, the access to the recording medium is immediately stopped at the time when it is detected that the external force is applied, so that the image data on the recording medium is destroyed by the application of some external force. It is possible to minimize the storage.

[0014]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention applied to a digital still camera will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a circuit configuration of a digital still camera 10 according to this embodiment.

In the figure, reference numeral 11 denotes a lens barrier which is opened and closed by driving a lens barrier driving unit 12, and an optical image of a subject obtained with the lens barrier 11 open is a lens optical system 13 including a focus lens. Thus, an image is formed on the CCD 14 which is an image pickup element arranged behind the photographing optical path.

The focus lens of the lens optical system 13 is driven by the AF drive section 15.

The CCD 14 is a timing generator (T
G) 16 and the vertical driver 17 scan-drives and outputs a photoelectric conversion output for one screen at constant intervals.

This photoelectric conversion output is sample-held by a sample-hold circuit (S / H) 18 after being subjected to an appropriate gain adjustment for each color component of RGB by an AGC amplifier (not shown) in the state of an analog value signal, and A / A The D converter (A / D) 19 converts the digital data into digital data, and the color process circuit 20 performs color process processing including interpolation processing and γ correction processing to generate a digital luminance signal Y and color difference signals Cb and Cr. DMA (Direct Mem)
ory Access) is output to the controller 21.

The DMA controller 21 has a luminance signal Y and color difference signals Cb, C output from the color process circuit 20.
r is the synchronization signal from the color process circuit 20,
Memory write enable, clock output once D
Write to the buffer inside the MA controller 21 and perform DRA
DRAM 23 via M interface (I / F) 22
DMA transfer is performed.

The control section 24 is provided with a CPU, a ROM storing an operation program, and an R provided as a work memory.
After the DMA transfer of the luminance and color difference signals to the DRAM 23 is completed, the luminance and color difference signals are transferred to the DRA via the DRAM interface 22.
It is read from M23 and written in the VRAM 26 via the VRAM controller 25.

A digital video encoder (hereinafter abbreviated as "video encoder") 27 periodically reads the luminance and color difference signals from the VRAM 26 via the VRAM controller 25 and generates a video signal based on these data. It is output to the display unit 28.

The display unit 28 is composed of, for example, a TFT liquid crystal panel with a backlight, and in the recording mode, an EVF (Electronic View Find).
r: electronic viewfinder) and performs display based on the video signal from the video encoder 27 to display an image based on the image information fetched from the VRAM controller 25 at that time.

Then, when the shutter key constituting the key input unit 29 is operated at a timing at which recording and storage are desired in a state where the image at that time is displayed as a monitor image in real time on the display unit 28 as described above, Generate a trigger signal.

In response to the trigger signal, the control section 24 immediately switches the path from the CCD 14 to the DRAM 23 immediately after the DMA transfer of the luminance and color difference signals for one screen captured from the CCD 14 at that time to the DRAM 23 is completed. Stop and
Transition to the state of record preservation.

In this recording / storing state, the control unit 24
The luminance and color difference signals for one frame written in the RAM 23 are passed through the DRAM interface 22 to Y, C
Each component of b and Cr is read out in a unit called a basic block of vertical 8 pixels × horizontal 8 pixels and read out in JPEG (J
Oint Photograph coding Ex
perts Group) circuit 30 and write this JP
In the EG circuit 30, ADCT (Adaptive Disc)
rete Cosine Transform: adaptive discrete cosine transform), compression by processing such as Huffman coding which is an entropy coding method, the obtained code data is read from the JPEG circuit 30 as one image data file, and the storage medium of the digital camera 10 Is written in the flash memory 31 which is a non-volatile memory enclosed in a memory card which is detachably attached.

Then, with the compression processing of the luminance and color difference signals for one frame and the writing of all the compressed data into the flash memory 31, the control unit 24 again controls the CCD 14.
To route to DRAM 23.

At this time, the control unit 24 also creates image data in which the number of constituent pixels of the original image data is greatly thinned, and associates this with the original image data as a preview image also called a thumbnail image. It is stored in the flash memory 31.

In addition to the shutter key described above, the key input unit 29 includes a recording / reproduction switching key, a power key,
It has a mode key, a cursor key, a selection key, and the like, and signals associated with the key operation are directly sent to the control unit 24.

Further, in the reproduction mode, the control unit 24 controls the CC
The path from D14 to the DRAM 23 is stopped, and the control unit 24 reads the code data for one specific frame from the flash memory 31 and writes it in the JPEG circuit 30 in response to the operation of the cursor key of the key input unit 29, and the JPEG circuit 30. Three
One frame of YUV data is expanded and stored in the VRAM 26 via the VRAM controller 25 in a basic block unit of vertical 8 pixels × horizontal 8 pixels obtained by performing decompression processing at 0. Then, the video encoder 27 uses the VRAM.
A video signal is generated based on the YUV data for one frame which is expanded and stored in 26 and is displayed on the display unit 28.

An acceleration sensor unit 32 is directly connected to the control unit 24. The acceleration sensor unit 32 detects an external force applied to the digital still camera 10 such as a drop or an impact as acceleration information, and is detected by two signal lines B0 and B1 to the control unit 24. Communicate the results.

That is, the acceleration sensor unit 32 is
It is assumed that the digital still camera 10 can detect three states of falling (gravitational acceleration g = 0), vibrating, and stationary.

Specifically, both the signal lines B0 and B1 are "L" level and stationary, and the signal line B0 is "H".
The state of falling at the level and the state of the signal line B1 vibrating at the "H" level are detected.

Next, the operation of the above embodiment will be described. FIG. 2 shows the contents of a series of interrupt processes executed by the control unit 24 when it is determined that the signal line B0 of the acceleration sensor unit 32 is at the “H” level and the digital still camera 10 is falling. is there.

At the beginning of the processing, the control section 24 always detects whether or not an interruption due to a drop has occurred depending on whether or not the signal line B0 of the acceleration sensor unit 32 has become "H" level (step S01). ), When it is determined that this is detected, it is then determined whether or not the image data file is being written to the flash memory 31 at that time (step S02).

Here, only when it is determined that the image data file is being written, the writing operation is temporarily interrupted (step S03), and whether or not the image data file is being written thereafter is determined. Regardless,
The lens barrier driving unit 12 closes the lens barrier 11 (step S04) to prevent the lens optical system 13 from being damaged by an impact.

Next, depending on whether or not the signal lines B0 and B1 of the acceleration sensor unit 32 are both at the "L" level, the digital still camera 10 waits for the stationary state (step S05). ), When it is determined to be stationary, the control unit 24 performs a self-diagnosis on all electrical and mechanical points that may be damaged by external force, including the stored contents of the flash memory 31 and various functions related to shooting. (Step S06).

Then, as a result of the self-diagnosis, it is judged whether or not there is any damage (step S07), and when it is judged that there is no damage, the process directly returns to the process of the step S01 and the next drop. In order to prepare for, the state returns to the interrupt waiting state.

When it is determined in step S07 that some damage has occurred, the display data in which the damage status is simplified is reproduced and displayed on the display unit 28 (step S08), and then the above-mentioned step S01 is executed. Return to processing,
In preparation for the next drop, the system returns to the interrupt waiting state.

FIG. 3 exemplifies the display mode of the diagnosis result displayed on the display unit 28 at this time when there is damage.

FIG. 3A is a display example in the case where the image data file recorded in the flash memory 31 has not been destroyed, but there is a part where the digital still camera 10 cannot operate normally. It is simply displayed as “Memory ○” or “Camera ×”.

FIG. 3B shows an example in which only the defective portion is displayed on the display unit 28. In this case, the image data file recorded in the "memory" is destroyed. Is shown.

FIG. 3 (3) more visually expresses the case where the image data file recorded in the flash memory 31 has not been destroyed, but there is a part where the digital still camera 10 cannot operate normally. This is a display example in the case of doing, and the symbol imitating the memory card is left as it is, and the symbol imitating the camera is shown by adding “x”.

As described above, since the self-diagnosis result is automatically displayed on the display unit 28, the user of the digital still camera 10 does not need to check the internal data and various operations by himself / herself, and the result is displayed. It is possible to continue appropriate processing promptly according to the content.

It should be noted that, although various other display modes of the notification of the damaged portion on the display unit 28 can be considered, when the display unit 28 itself is destroyed and the display cannot be performed, the above-mentioned figure is displayed. Although not shown in the configuration of 1,
Depending on the output pattern of the blinking display or beep sound, other display output members such as an AF indicator lamp indicating the focus state, a buzzer that generates a beep sound for various operations, a self-timer lamp that blinks at the self-timer, etc. It may be possible to output the damaged part.

Further, in the processing of FIG. 2 described above, as a result of the self-diagnosis with respect to the fall, if there is no particular damage, the display returns to the original interrupt standby state without displaying anything. The display unit 28 may display a guide message that there is no problem.

In the processing of FIG. 2 described above, when the digital still camera 10 is dropped, the operation is interrupted while writing for recording to the flash memory 31. In a digital camera having a large capacity recording medium such as a hard disk device or a magneto-optical disk as a recording medium for recording data, a head for reading data on a disk medium which is a rotating member not only during recording but also during reproduction. Since the parts mechanically abut or come close to each other, if a large external force is applied, the head part may collide with the surface of the rotating medium and destroy the data. It is necessary to suspend the operation on both sides to keep the head part away from the medium.

Further, even when the signal line B1 is vibrating at the "H" level, the processing shown in FIG. 2 may be performed. Further, the recording medium for recording the image data file has a head portion away from the medium by interrupting the operation for both recording and reproduction in a digital camera equipped with a large-capacity recording medium such as a hard disk device or a magneto-optical disk. It may be possible to make a reservation. By performing not only the dropping but also the vibrating state, the destruction of the image data on the recording medium can be further suppressed to the minimum, and the appropriate processing can be continued.

Although the present embodiment has been described for the case of being applied to a digital still camera, it is assumed that a camera function is used in an image pickup device which picks up and records an image on the premise of portable use. Mobile phones and PDAs
(Personal Digital Assistant
(nt: personal portable information device), information devices such as handheld computers, and the like.

In addition, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be carried out without departing from the scope of the invention.

Furthermore, the above-described embodiments include inventions at various stages, and various inventions can be extracted by appropriately combining a plurality of disclosed constituent elements. For example, even if some constituent elements are deleted from all the constituent elements shown in the embodiments, at least one of the problems described in the section of the problem to be solved by the invention can be solved, and it is described in the section of the effect of the invention. When at least one of the effects described above is obtained, a configuration in which this constituent element is deleted can be extracted as an invention.

[0052]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the access to the recording medium is interrupted immediately when it is detected that an external force is applied, so that some external force is applied to the recording medium and the recording medium. It is possible to minimize the destruction of the image data of.

According to the invention described in claim 2, in addition to the effect of the invention described in claim 1, it becomes possible to continue appropriate processing according to the result output of the check.

According to the third aspect of the invention, the access to the recording medium is interrupted immediately when it is detected that the external force is applied. Therefore, the recording medium and the image on the recording medium are applied by applying some external force. It is possible to minimize the destruction of data.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a circuit configuration of a digital still camera according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the contents of interrupt processing for a camera drop according to the same embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a diagram exemplifying a display state of a check result after the camera is dropped according to the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 ... Digital still camera 11 ... Lens barrier 12 ... Lens barrier drive unit 13 ... Lens optical system 14 ... CCD 15 ... AF drive unit 16 ... Timing generator (TG) 17 ... Vertical driver 18 ... Sample hold circuit (S / H) 19 ... A / D converter (A / D) 20 ... Color process circuit 21 ... DMA controller 22 ... DRAM interface (I / F) 23 ... DRAM 24 ... Control unit 25 ... VRAM controller 26 ... VRAM 27 ... Digital video encoder 28 ... Display 29 ... Key input section 30 ... JPEG circuit 31 ... Flash memory 32 ... Acceleration sensor unit

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification code FI theme code (reference) G11B 19/04 G11B 19/04 501D

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An imaging device for recording image data obtained by imaging on a medium and for reading and reproducing the image data recorded on the medium, the acceleration detecting means for detecting an external force applied to the device by its acceleration. An image pickup device, comprising: recording control means for interrupting recording of image data on the medium or reading of the medium from the medium when it is determined that an external force is applied to the apparatus by the output of the acceleration detecting means. apparatus. 2. Checking means for checking the image data recorded on the medium after the recording and reproducing of the image data on the medium by the recording control means is interrupted, and a result obtained by the checking means is output. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a result output unit. 3. A data protection method for an image pickup apparatus, wherein image data obtained by image pickup is recorded on a medium, and image data recorded on the medium is read out and reproduced. Acceleration for detecting an external force applied to the apparatus by its acceleration. A detection step, and a recording control step of interrupting recording of image data on the medium or reading of the medium from the medium when it is determined that an external force is applied to the apparatus by the detection output obtained in the acceleration detecting step. A data protection method for an image pickup device, comprising: