JP2006319988A - Image recording and reproducing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a technique of minimizing destruction of a recorded image even on the occurrence of problems such as a deficient battery capacity and power SW interruption caused by a user's erroneous operation because there is a possibility of destructing even signals having been recorded before the moment of occurrence of an accident if the unforeseen accident takes place during image recording operations and the recording operations are interrupted without taking the procedure of normal recording operation ending. <P>SOLUTION: When data are recorded onto a recording medium of a recording section 104 during photographing, the power of an image recording and reproducing apparatus is not turned off until a prescribed ending operation is finished. When the residual recording capacity of the recording medium reaches a prescribed capacity or below during the photographing, the photographing is automatically stopped and the prescribed recording ending operation is carried out. If a user interrupts power erroneously during photographing (recording) and when the recording operation is interrupted without taking the prescribed recording ending operation, a prescribed file is corrected so that at least data before the power 107 is interrupted are processed as effective data. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image recording / reproducing apparatus, and more particularly to a method for protecting image data during recording.

  Conventionally, image recording / reproducing apparatuses are generally VHS system which is analog recording, or an 8 mm system video camera or video deck. However, in recent years, digital video cameras have been commercialized due to the progress of image compression technology. Each of the above devices records an image on a magnetic tape by a helical scan method. In both VHS and 8 mm systems, one field of video signal is recorded on one track of the magnetic recording surface. The recording method of the digital video camera is also the helical scan method, but the captured image is encoded in the frame, and the compressed signal is recorded on the magnetic tape in 10 tracks. The signal recording method of the digital video camera is described on pages 62 to 63 of the June 1996 issue of “Video Salon” published by Genkosha. In addition, electronic still cameras that have recently become widespread are also new image recording / playback apparatuses, and in recent years, recording apparatuses such as hard disks have been increased in capacity and size, and have been commercialized for portable devices. For example, a digital still camera DCS460 released from Kodak Company uses a hard disk conforming to PCMCIA-ATA and Type III as an image recording medium. In addition to still images, a video camera that compresses moving images using MPEG1 and records the image data on a hard disk compliant with PCMCIA-ATA and Type III has been reported to be commercialized. When the PCMCIA card type hard disk is inserted into a PCMCIA slot provided in a notebook personal computer (hereinafter referred to as a notebook PC) on the market in recent years, data can be directly read / written by the notebook PC. (In the case of MS-DOS format, which is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation) In addition, flash memory cards, which have recently been reduced in price and increased in capacity, are also actively used as recording media for devices such as digital still cameras. Yes.

  As described above, in the case of the VHS system, 8 mm system, or digital video camera, even if the power is intentionally turned off during shooting, the video signal is destroyed in the last one field to one frame after the power is turned off. Only minutes. In other words, the information that has been taken so far is not lost (when no trouble such as tape entanglement occurs).

However, when recording data is managed by a method compliant with MS-DOS using a hard disk or flash memory as a recording medium, data recording start and end must be performed based on a predetermined operation. . If the power is turned off while writing data, the data currently being recorded (all data in the same file) will be destroyed. (Similar to the above tape recording, when there is no physical failure of the hard disk) If you take a personal computer (PC) as an example, it is clearly displayed that you must not turn off the power while accessing the hard disk. Yes. By the way, digital still cameras, etc., mainly use batteries as their power source, and the battery capacity may decrease during shooting, causing the power to be turned off or accidentally removing the battery. . Further, not only the remaining amount of battery but also the remaining amount of recording on the recording medium is the same. If the normal end operation is not performed before the remaining amount becomes zero, the data currently being recorded will be lost.

In the present invention, in order to solve the above problems,
1. When photographing is being performed and data is being recorded on the recording medium, the apparatus is not turned off until a predetermined end operation is completed even if the power is turned off.
2. If the remaining recording capacity of the recording medium falls below a predetermined value during shooting, shooting is automatically stopped and a predetermined recording end operation is performed.
3. If you accidentally cut off the power during shooting (recording) and interrupted the recording operation without performing the predetermined recording end operation, perform the predetermined file recovery operation and at least before turning off the power Can be handled as valid data.

  As described above, according to the present invention, even if the power SW is accidentally turned off during image recording, the battery is exhausted, the recording medium has no remaining recording capacity, or the battery is accidentally removed, the image is taken. Since the destruction of the image can be minimized, it is possible to provide a suitable image recording / reproducing apparatus that is easy to use in a portable image recording / reproducing apparatus that uses a battery as a power source.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an image recording / reproducing apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, 101 is an imaging unit, 102 is an image compression / decompression processing unit, 103 is a system controller, 104 is a recording unit, 105 is a power switch, 106 is a power switch, 107 is a power source configured by a battery, a power adapter, and the like. , 108 is a power supply wiring for supplying power to each unit, 109 is a signal line for electrically connecting each unit and exchanging digital signals, 110 is a recording start / stop button, 111 is an imaging unit 101 and an image compression / decompression processing unit This is a video signal converter that converts the digital video signal supplied from 102 into an analog signal, converts it into a standard TV system such as the NTSC system, and outputs it to a monitor (not shown).

  In the following description, the image compression / decompression processing circuit 102 is described as compressing / decompressing an image using the MPEG1 method. However, it goes without saying that other methods may be used as the image compression method. The recording unit 104 is described as managing data to be recorded using a well-known MS-DOS compliant file management system, which is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation. Needless to say, it may be used.

  First, an operation for recording an image will be described with reference to FIG. When the power supply unit 107 is in a state where it can supply power, the system controller 103 is always supplied with power and monitors the state of the power SW 106. When the power supply SW 106 is operated and the power supply is turned on, the system controller 103 operates the power supply switch 105 to electrically connect the power supply unit 107 and the power supply wiring 108 to each part connected to the power supply wiring 108. Supply power. This state is the power ON state. FIG. 2 shows an operational flowchart of the power ON state.

  When the recording start / stop button 110 is operated once when the power is on, the image compression / decompression processing unit 102 performs image compression processing on the video signal supplied from the imaging unit 101 by the MPEG1 method. The signal compressed by the image compression / decompression processing unit 102 is supplied to the system controller 103 and recorded in the recording unit 104 controlled by the system controller 103. When starting to write a signal to the recording unit 104, it is necessary to describe the file name and the file size in the directory in the case of the file management method compliant with MS-DOS. Therefore, the system controller 103 causes the recording unit 104 to describe an arbitrary file name in the directory before outputting the signal supplied from the image compression / decompression processing unit 102 to the recording unit 104. Note that a data (file) management method using the FAT of MS-DOS is described, for example, on pages 100 to 108 of “First revision of hard disk” of Hidekazu System. After the file name is described in the directory, actual image data is recorded, but FAT is used to manage the position of data to be written. The system controller 103 reads the FAT written in a specific area in the recording unit 104, searches for a free sector, and writes compressed image data to the free sector. Note that the MS-DOS-compliant file management method is a well-known method and is described in detail in the above-mentioned document and many other documents, and thus the description thereof is omitted. The recording unit 104 includes, for example, a hard disk, a magneto-optical disk, a flash memory, and the like, and the recording medium used for the recording unit 104 is merely an example and is not limited thereto. The operation state in which the video signal is recorded in the recording unit 104 is referred to as a recording state. FIG. 3 shows an operation flowchart of the recording state after the power-on state.

  By the way, when a plurality of image data are recorded in the recording unit 104, each data must be managed. In this case, too, taking a PC as an example, it manages the date and time when the file was created, the file name, the file capacity, and the like.

  Next, when the recording start / stop button 110 is operated again, the system controller 103 stops the compression after the currently captured frame image, adds the end code of the MPEG1 data to the compressed data, and outputs the compressed image data to the recording unit 104. To do. Note that the end of the compression operation may be waited until the currently processed GOP ends. When the system controller 103 writes the end code in the recording unit 104, the system controller 103 writes the end code in the FAT, writes the file size, the file creation date and time, and the FAT number indicating the beginning of the file in the directory. Close. FIG. 4 shows an operation flowchart from the recording state to the end of the recording operation. The data format of the MPEG1 system is described on pages 98 to 101 of “Latest MPEG Textbook” of ASCII Corporation.

  Next, an operation for turning off the power of the apparatus will be described. When the power supply SW 106 is operated and power off is selected, the system controller 103 controls the power switch 105, electrically disconnects the power supply unit 107 and the power supply wiring 108, and supplies power to each unit connected to the power supply wiring 108. Shut off. This state is a power-off state. FIG. 5 shows an operational flowchart of the operation for turning off the power.

  By the way, when the power supply to each part connected to the power supply wiring 108 is cut off during the image recording or during the recording end operation shown in FIG. The recorded data will be lost. The recorded data remains in the recording unit 104, but cannot be handled as a normal file if the first FAT is not entered in the directory or if an end code is not entered in the FAT. . In order to avoid the above problem, the system controller 103 operates the power supply SW 106 to select the state in which the apparatus is turned off, but until the operation shown in FIG. Do not operate. That is, until the operation shown in FIG. 4 is completely completed, the electrical connection between the power supply unit 107 and each unit connected to the power supply wiring 108 is maintained, and the system controller 103 performs the operation shown in FIG. After the completion, the power-off operation shown in FIG. 5 is performed. An example of the operation flow of the entire apparatus is shown in FIG.

  Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  Note that the operation and configuration of the present embodiment have parts in common with those of the first embodiment, and duplicated parts are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof is omitted.

  FIG. 7 is a block diagram of an image recording / reproducing apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, reference numeral 703 denotes a system controller, reference numeral 707 denotes a battery, and the system controller 703 has means for recognizing the remaining amount of the battery 707. As means for recognizing the remaining amount of the battery 707, for example, when the battery 707 is a nickel cadmium battery, the approximate remaining amount can be recognized by measuring the voltage of the battery 707. Recently, lithium ion batteries are also actively used. In the case of lithium ion batteries, the remaining amount can be recognized more finely based on the current terminal voltage, accumulated power consumption, and the like. Note that although the battery 707 is described as a nickel cadmium battery in this embodiment, any battery may be used as long as a desired voltage and current can be extracted.

  In the present embodiment, the operation of the image recording / reproducing apparatus is the same as that shown in FIGS. 2, 3, 4, and 5. However, the system controller 703 monitors the supply voltage of the battery 707. When the voltage of the battery 707 becomes lower than a predetermined voltage, the system controller 703 performs the operation shown in FIG. 4 and ends the recording operation. The operation shown in FIG. 5 is performed to turn off the apparatus. An example of the overall operation flow of this embodiment is shown in FIG.

  Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  Note that the operation and configuration of the present embodiment have parts in common with those of the first and second embodiments, and overlapping parts are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof is omitted.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram of an image recording / reproducing apparatus according to the third embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, reference numeral 903 denotes a system controller, and the system controller 903 has a means for recognizing the free recording capacity of the recording unit 104. The means for recognizing the free capacity of the recording unit 104 counts the number of FATs that are not used. Since the cluster size per one is known, the free space can be easily calculated using the following formula.
Free capacity = 1 size of cluster × number of free FATs The recording unit 104 cannot record a signal exceeding the free capacity obtained by the above formula. When a new signal is recorded in the recording unit 104, an unnecessary file must be deleted, that is, some cluster must be freed up. However, it is not preferable for the user to select an unnecessary file while recording an image because the operation becomes complicated. Therefore, the end operation shown in FIG. 4 is performed within the area where information such as at least the end code of the MPEG1 data, the file size described in the directory, and the recording date / time remains, and the recording operation is ended. The operation flow of this embodiment is shown in FIG.

  Next, a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  Note that the operation and configuration of the present embodiment have parts in common with the first, second, and third embodiments, and duplicated parts are denoted by the same numbers and description thereof is omitted.

  FIG. 11 is a block diagram of an image recording / reproducing apparatus according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, reference numeral 1103 denotes a system controller, which is different in operation from the system controller 103 shown in FIG.

  First, the operation for starting recording in the present embodiment will be described.

  FIG. 12 is an operation flowchart of an operation for starting recording. In the figure, the position of START is a power-on state to be described later. When the recording start / stop button 110 is operated, the system controller 1103 records the file name of the file storing the compressed image data to be recorded in the management file prepared in advance in the recording unit 104. Note that the file name is written to the management file by using an overwrite method, and if there is a file recorded before this recording operation, the old file name is deleted and the newly recorded file name is recorded. Next, the system controller 1103 describes the file name to be recorded in a predetermined location in the directory as in the first embodiment. Subsequently, the FAT is searched to search for a free cluster, and a FAT number indicating the free cluster found by the above operation (the beginning of a file to record a compressed image from now on) is described in a predetermined location in the directory. After execution of the above series of operations, the compressed image signal captured by the imaging unit 101 and compressed by the image compression / decompression processing unit 102 is recorded in an empty cluster included in the recording unit 104. The recording operation of the compressed image signal in the recording unit 104 continues until a recording end operation described later is performed. When the signal amount of the compressed image data processed by the recording operation and recorded in the recording unit 104 exceeds the recording capacity of one cluster, a new empty cluster is searched, and the cluster number is described in the FAT. The compressed image data is recorded in the empty cluster found by the above operation. Further, when a predetermined time elapses during the recording operation, the system controller 1103 describes the size of the file currently being recorded in the directory. The predetermined time is preferably as short as possible, but is a time determined so as not to disturb the recording operation of the compressed image signal.

  Next, the operation for ending recording will be described. If the recording start / stop button 110 is operated during the recording, the operation shown in FIG. 4 is performed as in the first embodiment, and the recording operation is terminated. Further, the operation of turning off the power is performed as shown in FIG. 5 as in the first embodiment.

Next, an operation for turning on the power of the apparatus will be described. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a flow of an operation for turning on the power in this embodiment. As in the first embodiment, the system controller 1103 is always supplied with power from the power supply unit 107 and monitors the state of the power supply SW 106. When the power supply SW 106 is operated and the power supply is turned on, the system controller 1103 operates the power supply switch 105 to electrically connect the power supply unit 107 and the power supply wiring 108 to each part connected to the power supply wiring 108. Supply power. Next, the system controller 1103 reads the file name recorded most recently from the management file. The most recently recorded file name is the file name written in the management file during the recording end operation. At this time, if there is no predetermined management file that can be recognized by the system controller 1103, the system controller 1103 creates a management file in the recording unit 104. Next, the system controller 1103 searches the directory for the same file name as the file name read from the management file, and reads the contents in which the file information is written. The file information includes the size of the file, the recording date and time, the position where the first FAT is written, and the like. First, the system controller 1103 searches for the FAT based on the position information of the head of the FAT file, and counts the number of FATs (the number of clusters used) until it reaches the FAT containing the end code of the file. . The system controller 1103 obtains the number of used clusters obtained by the following calculation formula from the number of FATs counted and the file size described in the directory.
Number of clusters used = size of file in directory / cluster size (round up remainder)
At this time, if the number of used clusters obtained from the FAT is equal to the number of used clusters obtained from the file size described in the directory, it is determined that there is no abnormality in the file, and a recording start standby state is entered. However, if the end of the recording operation is not normally performed for some reason and the end position of the file cannot be found even after searching the FAT, the number of used clusters obtained from the file size described in the directory and the FAT The number of clusters used is not equal. Also, when searching for FAT, if a code indicating an unused cluster appears before the end code of the file, it is possible to determine that the above-mentioned recording end operation has not ended normally. I can do it. When the system controller 1103 determines the abnormality of the most recently recorded image file as described above, the system controller 1103 performs a file restoration operation.

  Next, a file repair operation will be described. If it is determined in the above determination that there is an abnormality, the system controller 1103 sequentially reads the FAT for the number of used clusters obtained from the file size described in the directory from the top FAT of the file determined to be abnormal. In the above case, for example, when the number of clusters obtained from the file size described in the directory is 5, the first to fifth files from the first FAT are set as normal files, and the end code of the file is entered in the fifth FAT. End information is given to an abnormal file that does not have end information. At this time, it is assumed that the file size is written to the directory at a rate of once per second. With the above method, at least signals corresponding to the file size described in the directory can be restored as files.

  That is, even if an operation such as removing the battery is performed and the power supplied to the apparatus is stopped, the image one second before can be normally recorded. However, in the case of MPEG1 image compression processing, if the minimum signal unit is GOP, and the compression processing is interrupted due to battery removal or the like before the intra image is processed during GOP, the GOP image Cannot be played. Further, the inside of the cluster that was being recorded when the recording operation was interrupted cannot compensate for the contents of the signal after the recording was interrupted. When a file containing the abnormal data is reproduced by the image compression / decompression processing unit 102, the reproduced image is disturbed. If the image compression / decompression processing unit 102 receives an abnormal signal that cannot be normally expanded, the image compression / decompression processing unit 102 can be avoided by providing a function for muting the output video (for example, blue back). I can do it.

  Next, an operation for turning off the power of the apparatus will be described. Also in the present embodiment, as in the first embodiment, when the power switch 106 is operated and power off is selected, the system controller 1103 controls the power switch 105, and the power supply unit 107 and the power supply wiring 108. Is electrically disconnected, and the power supply to each part connected to the power supply wiring 108 is cut off. The flow of operation is the same as the flow of operation described in FIG.

1 is a configuration diagram of an image recording / reproducing apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. It is an operation | movement flowchart which concerns on 1st, 2nd and 3rd embodiment of this invention. It is an operation | movement flowchart which concerns on 1st, 2nd and 3rd embodiment of this invention. 4 is an operation flowchart according to first, second, third and fourth embodiments of the present invention. 4 is an operation flowchart according to first, second, third and fourth embodiments of the present invention. It is an operation | movement flowchart which concerns on the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram of the image recording / reproducing apparatus which concerns on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is an operation | movement flowchart which concerns on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram of the image recording / reproducing apparatus which concerns on the 3rd Embodiment of this invention. It is an operation | movement flowchart which concerns on the 3rd Embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram of the image recording / reproducing apparatus which concerns on the 4th Embodiment of this invention. It is an operation | movement flowchart which concerns on the 4th Embodiment of this invention. It is an operation | movement flowchart which concerns on the 4th Embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

101 ... Imaging unit, 102 ... Image compression / decompression processing unit, 103 ... System controller, 1
04 ... Recording unit, 105 ... Power switch, 106 ... Power switch, 107 ... Power supply unit, 108 ... Power supply wiring, 109 ... Signal line, 110 ... Recording start / stop button, 111 ... Video signal conversion unit, 703 ... System controller, 707 ... Battery, 903 ... System controller, 1103 ... System controller.

Claims (6)

An imaging means for converting a captured image into a video signal, a compression processing means for compressing a video signal supplied from the imaging means, a recording means for recording a signal compressed by the compression processing means, and a control signal In response, a switch for opening and closing the power supplied to the imaging means, the compression processing means and the recording means, a control means for supplying a control signal for power supply opening and closing to the switch, and a power supply for the entire apparatus connected to the control means In an image recording / reproducing apparatus having a power switch for selecting on / off and power supply means for supplying power to the entire apparatus,
The control means is selected so that the power switch turns off the apparatus while the imaging means images the subject, the video signal is compressed by the compression processing means, and recorded in the recording means. If so, the image recording / reproducing apparatus is controlled so as not to turn off the power of the apparatus until a predetermined recording end operation is completed.   The control unit has a function of recognizing the power supply capability of the power supply unit, and when the power supply capability of the power supply unit is lower than a predetermined amount, performs a predetermined recording end operation, 2. The image recording / reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the recording operation is terminated.   The control means has a function of recognizing a recording free space of the recording means, and when the recording free capacity of the recording means becomes smaller than a predetermined amount, performs a predetermined recording end operation and performs a recording operation. The image recording / reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:   When power is supplied from the power supply means to the control means and at least the recording means, the control means records the image signal previously recorded on the recording means based on information recorded separately from the image signal. 2. The image recording / reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said image signal recorded last time is checked for presence / absence of abnormality, and when it is determined that abnormality is present, a predetermined abnormality signal is repaired. In order to recognize which image signal was recorded last time when performing the repair operation of the predetermined abnormal signal, the control means is for recording the image signal, and records at least the image signal in the recording means. 5. The image according to claim 4, wherein before starting the operation, the image signal to be recorded is recorded on the recording means in a form that can be recognized later by the control means. Recording / playback device. The control means performs image compression processing on the video signal supplied from the imaging means by the image compression means, and when a predetermined time elapses during the operation of recording in the recording means, 6. The image recording / reproducing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein a cumulative value of the signal amount of the image signal is recorded at a predetermined location.

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