JP2606340B2 - Camera system, imaging device and playback device - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a camera system, an image pickup apparatus, and a playback apparatus. More specifically, the present invention relates to an image pickup apparatus using a solid-state memory as a storage medium, and The present invention relates to a camera system including a reproducing device for reproducing, and an imaging device and a reproducing device thereof.

[Conventional technology]

As a camera following the silver halide still camera and the video floppy electronic still camera, an electronic still camera using a memory element that does not require a movable mechanism for recording and reproducing information (hereinafter referred to as a solid-state camera). Is attracting attention. In an electronic still camera, image information is electronically handled, thereby facilitating instant reproduction of a captured image, image transmission, computer processing of an image, electronic filing of an image, and the like. However, when a small magnetic sheet called a video floppy is used as a recording medium, a movable mechanism such as a rotation mechanism for the magnetic sheet and a head feed mechanism for positioning the magnetic head with a track pitch of several tens to hundreds of micrometers is used. This necessitates parts, increasing the manufacturing cost of the camera, and also limits the operating environment and operating speed. The same applies to the case where a magneto-optical recording medium is used as a recording medium.

Solid-state cameras have been proposed to overcome these disadvantages. FIG. 3 shows a configuration example of a solid-state camera system. 10 is the camera body of the solid-state camera, 12 is the camera body 10
It is removable from the
A pack 14 is a reproducing apparatus for reproducing the information recorded in the memory pack 12. The memory pack 12 includes an IC memory element, a memory control circuit, and a backup power supply thereof.
The connection between the memory pack 12 and the camera body 10 can be achieved by a method using a normal metal connector, a method using a transmit coil, a method using an optical coupler, or the like. Camera body
The image captured by 10 is stored in the memory pack 12 in a predetermined format. By connecting the memory pack 12 to the playback device 14 and playing back stored images, the playback device 14 can transmit electronic image data to a TV monitor, a printer, a transmitter, a filing device, and the like.

In addition, it is quite inconvenient for the user to remove the memory pack 12 from the camera body 10 and connect to the playback device 14 each time the recorded image in the memory pack 12 is reproduced. Therefore, a configuration has been proposed in which contact points for signal transmission are provided in the camera body 10 and the playback device 14, and the camera body 10 is directly connected to the playback device 14 to play back recorded images.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

In the camera body 10, various signal processing circuits, a lens drive unit, a power supply for operating the exposure control unit such as an aperture drive unit is required, so the user, before use,
Management operations such as checking and replacing the voltage of the power supply battery of the camera body 10 become indispensable, and this considerably burdens the user. Even if the power supply capacity in the camera body 10 is increased, this management work is not basically eliminated.
There is a disadvantage that 10 becomes larger.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a camera system, an imaging device, and a playback device that solve this drawback.

[Means for solving the problem]

A camera system according to the present invention includes an imaging device and a reproduction device, and includes an imaging unit, a solid-state memory for temporarily storing image information output from the imaging unit, and a power supply for supplying power to the imaging unit and the solid-state memory. A rectangular portion that can be inserted into a slot of the playback device, a plurality of first electrode portions provided at the end of the rectangular portion, and a mounting direction for the slot of the playback device that is provided in a part of the rectangular portion. A regulating member for regulating, the reproducing device has a slot in which the rectangular portion of the imaging device is inserted, and the reproduction device includes a slot provided in the slot, the rectangular portion of the imaging device being inserted when the rectangular portion is inserted. A second electrode portion electrically connected to the first electrode portion, a detection unit for detecting that the rectangular portion of the imaging device is inserted into the slot, Display means for displaying that the rectangular portion of the imaging device has been inserted when detected, and image information in the solid-state memory of the imaging means to be transferred to the playback device based on the display by the display means. And a transfer instruction switch for facilitating transfer of image information from the imaging device to the playback device.

The imaging device according to the present invention is an imaging device used for this camera system, and the reproducing device according to the present invention is a reproducing device used for this camera system.

[Action]

To reproduce the image information captured by the imaging device and stored in the solid-state memory by the above means, it is only necessary to attach the imaging device to the reproduction device and instruct the transfer from the imaging device to the reproduction device. Can be done. That is, troublesome operations such as cable connection are not required, and even a beginner can easily and quickly observe a captured image.

〔Example〕

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

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of one embodiment of the present invention. 20 is a camera body and 22 is a playback device. In the present embodiment, the memory pack does not have to be removed from the camera body 20 in order to reproduce the recorded image of the memory pack, and the battery (not shown) of the camera body 20 is charged from the reproducing device 22. Multiple contacts for each of camera body 20 and player 22
24 and 26 are provided. 28 is an LED that indicates that shooting is possible
A display member 30 for restricting the mounting direction when the camera body 20 is mounted on the playback device 22; and 32, a camera body.
A display member such as an LED or an LCD indicating that power is being supplied to the camera body 20 in a state in which the camera 20 is connected to the playback device 22;
Is a transmission switch for transmitting information of the solid-state memory mounted on the camera body 20 to the reproducing device 22 side.

The operation of FIG. 1 will be described. Camera body 20 for shooting
It is confirmed by the display member 28 that there is a battery capacity that can be photographed. When the battery capacity is insufficient, the display member 28 indicates so, and no image is taken even if the release button is pressed. When reproducing the captured image (that is, the recorded image of the memory pack), the camera body 20 is connected to the playback device so that the contact 24 is connected to the corresponding contact 26.
After mounting the display member 32 and confirming that the display member 32 has been mounted, the transmission switch 34 is operated to transmit the stored image of the memory pack of the camera body 20 to the playback device 22. By the regulating member 30,
The camera body 20 is mounted on the playback device 22 in an appropriate direction. In this mounted state, the battery of the camera body 20 is charged by the playback device 22 via the contacts 24 and 26. The display member 32 displays during charging operation and charging completion. When the battery in the camera body 20 is charged to a predetermined voltage, the display member 28 displays a message indicating that shooting is possible.

2A and 2B are circuit block diagrams of the camera body 20.
Shown in the figure. FIG. 2A shows a video signal processing system, 40 is a photographing lens, 42 is an aperture, 44 is a solid-state image sensor, 46 is a video signal processing circuit, 48 is an A / D converter, 50 is a buffer memory, and 52 is a memory. The solid state memory in the pack; 54 are signal contacts which are part of the contacts 24; The image sensor 44 converts an optical image from the photographing lens 40 into an electric signal. The output of the image sensor 44 is subjected to known video signal processing by a video signal processing circuit 46, digitized by an A / D converter 48, and temporarily stored in a buffer memory.
Stored in 26. Data stored in the buffer memory 26 is read out at a data transfer rate suitable for writing to the solid-state memory 52 of the memory pack, and recorded in the solid-state memory 52. The recorded image in the solid-state memory 52 is sent to the reproducing device 22 via the signal transmission contact 54.

2B shows a power supply system, 56 is a power supply contact forming part of the contact 24, 58 is a rechargeable battery, 59 is a monitoring circuit for monitoring the output voltage of the rechargeable battery 58, 60 is a DC-DC converter, 62 Is 2A
This is a camera processing unit including the circuit shown in FIG. Power from the regenerator 22 charges the battery 58 via the contact 56. The voltage of the battery 58 is boosted by the DC-DC converter 60, and
The operating power is 62. When the output voltage of the rechargeable battery 58 falls below a predetermined value, the monitoring circuit 59 instructs display on the display member 28 and invalidates a release button (not shown).

As a power supply system of the playback device 22 for supplying power to the camera body 20, an AC or DC power supply of the playback device 22 is converted into a desired DC voltage by an AC-DC converter or a DC-DC converter, and a power supply contact is provided. It is supplied to the camera body 20 via the camera.

In the above embodiment, the camera body 20 is directly connected to the player 22 for playback by the player 22, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the memory pack is detached from the camera body 20 for playback. The present invention can also be applied to a system connected to the device 22.

〔The invention's effect〕

As can be easily understood from the above description, according to the present invention, simply mounting the imaging device on the playback device and instructing the transfer from the imaging device to the playback device, the image is captured by the imaging device and stored in the solid-state memory. Image information can be played back,
Very easy to do. That is, troublesome operations such as cable connection are not required, and even a beginner can easily and quickly observe a photographed image.

[Brief description of the drawings]

1 is an overall configuration diagram of one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2A is a configuration block diagram of a signal processing system of the camera body 20, FIG. 2B is a configuration block diagram of a power supply system of the camera body 20, and FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a conventional example of a solid-state camera system. 10, 20: Camera body, 14, 22: Playback machine, 24, 26: Contact point, 28, 32:
Display member, 30: regulating member, 34: transmission switch

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────の Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Tadashi Takaiwa 770 Shimonoge, Takatsu-ku, Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa Prefecture Inside the Tamagawa Works of Canon Inc. (72) Inventor Hideaki Kawamura 770 Shimo-Noge, Takatsu-ku, Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa Prefecture Office (72) Inventor Hiroyuki Horii 770 Shimonoge, Takatsu-ku, Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa Prefecture Inside the Tamagawa Office of Canon Inc. (72) Inventor Takashi Suzuki 770 Shimo-noge, Takatsu-ku, Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa Canon Inc. Seiichi Ozaki 770 Shimonoge, Takatsu-ku, Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa Prefecture Inside the Tamagawa Works of Canon Inc. (72) Inventor Akihiko Tojo 3-30-2 Shimomaruko 3-chome, Ota-ku, Tokyo Canon Inc. (56) References JP-A-2-2 82762 (JP, A) JP-A-63-255893 (JP, A) JP-A-63 268381 (JP, A) JitsuHiraku Akira 62-33165 (JP, U)

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] An image pickup means, a solid-state memory for temporarily storing image information output from the image pickup means, a power supply for supplying power to the image pickup means and the solid-state memory, and a rectangular portion insertable into a slot of a reproducing apparatus. An imaging device comprising: a plurality of first electrode portions provided at a tip of the rectangular portion; and a regulating member provided at a part of the rectangular portion and regulating a mounting direction of the reproducing device to a slot; A slot in which the rectangular portion of the device is inserted, and a second electrode portion provided inside the slot and electrically connected to the first electrode portion when the rectangular portion of the imaging device is inserted. Detecting means for detecting that the rectangular portion of the imaging device has been inserted into the slot; and detecting when the rectangular portion of the imaging device has been inserted into the slot by the detecting means. And a transfer instruction switch for transferring the image information in the solid-state memory of the image pickup means to the reproduction apparatus based on the display by the display means. A camera system characterized by facilitating transfer of image information to a device. 2. A slot into which a rectangular portion of the imaging device is inserted, a playback device side electrode portion provided inside the slot, and detecting that the rectangular portion of the imaging device is inserted into the slot. What is claimed is: 1. An image pickup apparatus inserted into a reproducing apparatus having a detection unit and a transfer unit for transferring image information from the image pickup unit, wherein the image pickup unit and a solid-state device for temporarily storing image information output from the image pickup unit A memory, a power supply for supplying power to the imaging unit and the solid-state memory, a rectangular portion that can be inserted into the slot of the reproducing device, and a distal end of the rectangular portion, which is electrically connected to the reproducing device side electrode portion. An imaging device, comprising: a flexible imaging device-side electrode portion; and a regulating member provided on a part of the rectangular portion to regulate a mounting direction of the reproducing device with respect to a slot. 3. An image pickup means, a solid-state memory for temporarily storing image information output from the image pickup means, a power supply for supplying power to the image pickup means and the solid-state memory, and a rectangular portion insertable into a slot of the playback device. Playback in which an imaging device having a plurality of first electrode portions provided at the tip of the rectangular portion and a regulating member provided in a part of the rectangular portion and regulating a mounting direction of the playback device with respect to a slot is inserted. A slot in which the rectangular portion of the imaging device is inserted, and a second electrode provided inside the slot and electrically connected to the first electrode portion when the rectangular portion is inserted. An electrode section, detecting means for detecting that the rectangular portion of the imaging device has been inserted into the slot, and detecting when the rectangular portion of the imaging device has been inserted into the slot by the detecting means. A display means for displaying the information, and a transfer instruction switch for transferring image information in the solid-state memory of the imaging means to the reproduction apparatus based on the display by the display means.