JP2004242260A - Image pickup device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent erroneous operation by a user and to effectively use an unrewritable recording medium. <P>SOLUTION: This image pickup device is provided with an image pickup means, a card interface for recording image data which are obtained by the image pickup means to a loaded memory card, a discrimination means for discriminating which memory card is loaded, a first memory card on which data can be written in the same address a plurality of times or a second memory card on which data can be written in the same address just once, and a control means for changing an executable function according to the discriminated result of the discrimination means. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an image pickup apparatus, and more particularly to an apparatus for recording image data shot on different types of memory cards.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a digital camera that captures an image and records and reproduces the digital signal has been known. Digital cameras use a memory card such as a rewritable flash memory as a recording medium, and have been able to erase images that the user does not like after photographing, or erase all images in the recording medium. . This type of digital camera is described in, for example, the following patent documents.
[0003]
[Patent Document 1]
Japanese Patent No. 3177491
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
As described above, at present, a memory card that can repeatedly record image data is used.
[0005]
In recent years, although the price of a memory card has been decreasing, it is still expensive for a large-capacity memory card. Therefore, a memory card (hereinafter referred to as a one-time card) has been studied in which the cost is reduced by writing data to the same address only once.
[0006]
Since the writing is performed only once in this manner, it is not necessary to guarantee the operation for the repeated writing, so that the manufacturing cost can be reduced and the evaluation cost for the product can be reduced.
[0007]
Therefore, it is considered that a situation in which such a one-time memory card is attached to a conventional digital camera is used. When a recording medium that can be written only once is attached to such a conventional digital camera and used, there is a problem that the recording capacity of the recording medium is reduced or cannot be used by a user operation.
[0008]
Specifically, there were the following problems.
-When an image is deleted, the deleted data area is deleted even though it cannot be reused.
-When the recording medium is initialized, the writing is performed by the initialization, and even if the medium is not used, it cannot be used.
-In addition, in the process of writing something on a recording medium, all can be performed only once.
The user forgets to set a non-rewritable recording medium and shoots in the same shooting style as a rewritable recording medium. As a result, the recording medium is used up even though the photographer wants to continue shooting.
[0009]
The present invention solves such a problem, and prevents erroneous operation of a user when a non-rewritable recording medium is mounted on an imaging device that can use two types of rewritable / non-rewritable memory cards. It is another object of the present invention to effectively use a non-rewritable recording medium.
[0010]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, an image pickup means, a card interface for recording image data obtained by the image pickup means on a mounted memory card, Discriminating means for discriminating which of the first memory card in which data can be written and the second memory card in which data can be written only once to the same address is loaded. And an image pickup apparatus including a control unit that changes a function that can be executed according to a result of the determination by the determination unit.
[0011]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described.
[0012]
FIG. 1 shows a configuration diagram of a digital camera to which the present invention is applied.
[0013]
In FIG. 1, a KBD 109 is a user operation member. When a main switch provided on the KBD 109 is pressed, the CPU 108 detects the pressing and controls the operation of each part of the camera. The CPU 108 controls the operation of the camera according to a program recorded in the PROM 111 in advance. This program may be partially or wholly recorded on the memory card 105. The CPU 108 and other functional blocks are connected by a data bus 107 (CDBUS), and exchange data and control signals.
[0014]
When the user instructs a shooting operation with the KBD 109, the CPU 108 captures an image with the CCD unit 101 and the imaging device 102 (CAPT), and writes the image data into the removable memory card 105 through the memory card interface 104 (MCIF). When writing image data, the CPU 108 acquires time data from the timer 110 and records it on the memory card 105 together with the image data. In the photographing operation, the CPU 108 uses the DRAM 103 as a buffer for executing programs and image data.
[0015]
The digital camera of this embodiment has a still image recording mode and a moving image recording mode, and the user uses the KBD 109 to transmit the recording mode to the CPU.
[0016]
Further, the camera of the present embodiment has a playback mode, and when the playback mode is selected by the KBD 109, the CPU 108 plays the image data recorded on the memory card 105 by the display device 106 (DISP).
[0017]
Next, the operation of the present embodiment will be described below using the numbers in the flowcharts of FIGS.
[0018]
(201)
When the user operates the operation member of the KBD 109, the camera is activated.
[0019]
(202)
The CPU 108 checks the type of the memory card 105 through the MCIF 104. A memory card type code is written in the memory card 105 in advance, and by reading this code, the CPU 108 determines the type of the medium.
[0020]
(203)
In operation (202), if the recording medium inserted into the interface 104 is a recording medium that can be written only once, the CPU 108 executes operation (204). If the memory card is a normal rewritable memory card, the operation (205) is executed.
[0021]
(204)
The CPU 108 displays a warning on the DISP 106. FIG. 3 shows an example of the warning display. When a non-rewritable recording medium is used, image recording can be performed only once. Therefore, when it is desired to use up the entire capacity of the recording medium and record an image further, it is necessary to obtain and replace a new recording medium.
The warning display has the effect of making the user aware of this operation, preventing erroneous operation by the user, and effectively using a recording medium that cannot be rewritten.
[0022]
(205)
The CPU 108 stores and saves the medium type information ICT determined in (203) in a predetermined area of the DRAM 103. Information ICT is lost when the camera is turned off.
[0023]
(206)
The camera of this embodiment has the following operation modes.
-Moving image shooting mode-Still image shooting mode-Playback mode These modes can be switched by a slide switch which forms a part of the KBD 109. This slide switch is shown at 404 in FIG.
In FIG. 4, the MENU button 401 constitutes a part of the KBD 109 like the slide switch 404, and a menu for executing a specific operation is displayed by pressing the MENU button 401.
The operation of the GUI displayed on the menu is performed by the cross key 402 and the enter button 403 in FIG.
When the user operates the KBD 109, the CPU 108 executes an operation (207). If no operation is performed, the operation (213) is executed.
[0024]
(207)
When the CPU 108 detects the operation of the slide switch 404 in the operation (206), the operation (210) is performed. Otherwise, perform operation (208).
[0025]
(208)
When the CPU 108 detects the operation of the MENU button 401 in the operation (206), the operation (209) is performed. Otherwise, perform operation (213).
[0026]
(209)
The CPU 108 refers to the medium type information ICT stored in the operation (205), and performs the operation (212) if the memory card currently mounted on the camera is a non-rewritable card. Otherwise, the operation (211) is performed.
[0027]
(210)
The camera switches the operation mode to the moving image shooting mode. At the same time, a warning display shown in FIG. The contents of the warning display are the same as in the operation (204).
When a non-rewritable memory card is used, image recording can be performed only once. In general, moving image recording has a larger recording data amount than still image recording. Therefore, if the user does not take a picture while being aware that the rewritable memory card is used, there is a possibility that the capacity of the card is completely used up in a short time.
The warning display in FIG. 3 has an effect of making the user aware of this work, preventing a user's erroneous operation, and effectively using a non-rewritable recording medium.
[0028]
(211)
The CPU 108 displays an operation menu on the display device 106. The displayed menu differs depending on the shooting mode or the playback mode. In the shooting mode, settings related to shooting are displayed, and in the playback mode, settings related to image data display and management are displayed.
FIG. 5 shows a display menu in the shooting mode.
This menu allows you to change various camera settings. When the setting is to be changed, the change target and the setting are selected using the cross key 402, and the setting is determined by pressing the GUI determination button 403. Hereinafter, the basic operation of the GUI is the same.
At this time, the "medium initialization" operation can be selected in the menu.
When the initialization is selected, the CPU 108 performs initialization by writing initialization data to the memory card 105.
FIG. 6 shows a display menu in the reproduction mode.
In the reproduction menu, the operations of “protect”, “rotate” and “delete all” can be selected and executed. The description of each operation is shown in FIG. 9 and described.
[0029]
<Protect function>
“Protected information” is written in a part of the image data stored in the memory card 105. The image data in which this information is written is not erased even if an erasing operation described later is performed.
[0030]
<Rotation function>
“Rotation direction information” is written in a part of the image data stored in the memory card 105. When displaying the image data in which this information is written, the image data is displayed on the display device 106 in the display rotation direction intended by the user.
[0031]
<Erase all>
All the image data stored in the memory card 105 is deleted. However, the image data on which the protected information has been written is not erased.
[0032]
(212)
The CPU 108 displays an operation menu on the display device 106 as in the operation (211). The displayed menu differs depending on the shooting mode or the playback mode.
At this time, since the memory card mounted is a non-rewritable card, the specific operation is not displayed on the menu. FIG. 7 shows a display menu in the shooting mode in this operation.
At this time, the “medium initialization” operation in the operation (211) is not displayed and cannot be selected.
When the initialization is selected, the initialization data is written even if the memory card is not used. Therefore, a card that is not used and cannot be rewritten cannot be recorded after initialization. FIG. 8 shows a display menu in the reproduction mode in this operation.
In the operation of the reproduction menu described in the operation (211), each of <protect function> and <rotation function> includes an operation of writing data to the memory card. However, there is a problem that an operation cannot be performed only once with a card that cannot be rewritten. In order to prevent this problem, there is no menu that can be selected in this operation.
In addition, a card that cannot be rewritten cannot increase the remaining capacity even if an unnecessary image is deleted. Therefore, it is preferable that the <all erasure function> is not executed, and the image is stored even if it is unnecessary.
[0033]
(213)
The CPU 108 performs the operation selected by the slide switch 414 in FIG.
[0034]
(214)
In the present embodiment, the operation is terminated by depressing the main switch constituting a part of the KBD 109 during operation. Further, when replacing the recording medium, the user notifies the CPU 108 of the replacement of the memory card 105 by the KBD 109. At this time, similarly to the operation (204) or (210), the CPU 108 displays a warning on the display device 106. The warning display is the same as that shown in FIG.
The warning display has the effect of notifying the user of the type of the replaced memory card, thereby preventing the user from performing an erroneous operation and effectively using a card that cannot be rewritten.
In this embodiment, the CPU 108 terminates the camera operation when the card is replaced, but the camera operation may not be terminated depending on the system configuration.
[0035]
(215)
End / stop the operation. If the camera is powered by battery, go to power saving mode or turn off power completely.
[0036]
As described above, according to this embodiment, it is determined whether the inserted card is a card that can be written many times or a card that can be written only once, and if the card can be written only once, a warning is given to that effect. In addition, by changing a menu to be displayed, an initialization operation, and the like depending on the type of the inserted card, erroneous operations by the user can be prevented, and a non-rewritable recording medium can be used effectively.
[0037]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to perform an optimal operation according to the inserted card, regardless of whether the memory card is a single-recordable memory card or a multiple-writable memory card. It becomes possible.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a digital camera to which the present invention is applied.
FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an operation of the camera of FIG.
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a state of a warning display.
FIG. 4 is a view showing an operation member.
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a menu screen.
FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a menu screen.
FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a menu screen.
FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a menu screen.
FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a menu screen.

Claims (9)

Imaging means;
A card interface for recording image data obtained by the imaging means on a mounted memory card,
Which of the first memory card can write data to the same address a plurality of times and the second memory card can write data only once to the same address Determining means for determining whether the
An imaging device comprising: a control unit that changes a function that can be executed according to a result of the determination by the determination unit. 2. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an operation unit, wherein the control unit invalidates a function according to a predetermined operation by the operation unit based on the determination result. 2. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit invalidates an initialization function by the interface unit when the control unit determines that the memory card is the second memory card. 2. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit, when it is determined that the memory card is the second memory card, invalidates a function of deleting the image data by the interface unit. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a display unit, wherein the control unit changes a menu image displayed on the display unit based on the determination result. 6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the control unit prohibits the display unit from displaying menu items related to an initialization function and an image data deletion function when the control unit determines that the memory card is the second memory card. Imaging device. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a display unit, wherein the control unit displays predetermined warning information on the display unit when the control unit determines that the memory card is the second memory card. 8. The imaging apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the determination unit performs the determination operation in response to the newly inserted memory card. A mode switching unit that switches a mode between a moving image shooting mode and a still image shooting mode, wherein the determination unit performs the determination operation in response to the mode switching performed by the mode switching unit. The imaging device according to claim 7.

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