JP2767257B2 - Solid camera - Google Patents

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a solid-state camera, and more particularly to an electronic still camera using a solid-state memory (a memory element that does not require a movable mechanism for recording / reproducing information). is there.

[Conventional technology]

This type of electronic still camera (hereinafter abbreviated as a solid-state camera) using a memory element that does not require a movable mechanism for recording / reproducing information has recently been developed as a silver halide camera or a video floppy electronic still camera (hereinafter, an SV). Cameras have been attracting attention.

SV cameras handle image information electronically,
It enables immediate playback of captured images and facilitates image transmission, computer processing of images, and electronic filing of images. However, in this type of SV camera, a mechanism that rotates a small magnetic sheet called a video floppy at a high speed and records video information on the magnetic sheet with a high precision of a track pitch of 10 to 100 μm is considerably used. Since processing accuracy is required, it has been difficult to reduce the cost of the camera itself. An optical disk camera using an optical recording medium instead of a magnetic sheet has also been proposed, but for the same reason as described above, there was a limit to cost reduction.

Under such circumstances, the solid-state camera is expected to solve the drawbacks of the second-generation camera (SV camera).

Hereinafter, the concept of this type of solid-state camera system will be described.

FIGS. 6 (a) and 6 (b) show an example of the configuration of a camera unit and a playback unit of a conventional solid-state camera system of this type, respectively. First, in FIG. 6 (a), 31 is a solid-state camera,
Reference numeral 32 denotes a memory pack for storing image information.
The memory pack 32 includes an IC memory, a backup power supply, and the like. The photographing of the subject can be performed by inserting the memory pack 32 into the slot of the solid-state camera 31.

Various methods for connecting the memory pack 32 and the solid-state camera 31 can be considered, such as a method using a normal metal connector, a method using a transmit coil, and a method using an optical coupler.

In FIG. 6B, reference numeral 33 denotes the solid-state camera.
A playback device for playing back image information captured by the memory pack 31 and the memory pack 32, the output of which can be connected to a normal TV monitor, video printer, still image transmitter, still image filing device, etc. It is configured as follows.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

However, in the above-described conventional solid-state camera, since the information communication is performed with the camera 31 using the memory pack 32 as an information medium, the communication contact between the memory cartridge 32 and the camera 31 surely contacts at the time of shooting. It is necessary that there is no circuit failure in the memory cartridge 32 and that the backup battery has sufficient capacity.For example, these checks should be performed immediately after the first release. After confirming that communication is possible, photographing and recording are performed.

Therefore, if there is such a factor as to cause a communication failure between the camera 31 and the memory cartridge 32 as described above, there is a problem that recording cannot be performed even though the release button is pressed.

Therefore, with the cartridge 32 inserted in advance, it is confirmed whether or not recording is possible, or the memory cartridge information such as the memory capacity and type is received by the camera 31, and
When the photographing state is displayed on the LCD or the like of the camera 31 to check the shooting state, an external switch for checking may be provided on the camera side, and the above-described check and display may be performed in accordance with the operation of this switch. In order to prevent shooting errors, the camera
It is most desirable that 31 itself automatically performs the above-mentioned check and issues a warning display, and also displays information such as memory capacity and type backup battery capacity. Further, in a camera configured to control the camera based on information in the memory, it is necessary to give a timing for reading out the memory information before photographing by some means.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems in the conventional fixed camera, and checks whether various conditions for photographing are satisfied by loading a solid-state memory cartridge into the camera. An object of the present invention is to provide a solid-state camera of this type which automatically performs necessary display / warning and the like.

[Means for solving the problem]

For this reason, the present invention has the following loading detection means for detecting the completion of loading of the memory cartridge, and at least communication of the capacity information of the memory cartridge or information of the type of the memory cartridge by the output of the loading detection means. The object is achieved by providing a solid-state camera comprising a communication control means for starting any one of the above-mentioned communications between the memory cartridge and the camera.

[Action]

With the above configuration, after inserting the solid-state memory cartridge into the camera, it checks whether the camera is ready to take a picture, gives necessary warnings, reads memory information on the camera side, and reads the memory capacity. The display of the camera type and the like, the control of the camera based on the memory information, and the like are automatically performed, and these states can be confirmed immediately after the camera is loaded, so that more reliable shooting can be performed.

〔Example〕

 Hereinafter, the present invention will be described based on examples.

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of one embodiment of a solid-state camera according to the present invention. FIGS. 2 (a) and 2 (b) show, respectively,
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the solid memory cartridge insertion portion shown in FIG. 1;
(A) shows a state where the cartridge holder 2 is open, and (b) shows a state where the memory cartridge 9 is loaded.
The state in which the cartridge holder 2 is closed is shown.

(Configuration) In FIGS. 1-2, C is a solid-state camera, 1 is an outer lid,
2 is a cartridge holder rotatable around the fulcrum 2a,
3 is a loading detection switch, 4 is an electrical contact for communicating with the memory cartridge 9 (4a and 4b will be described later), 5 is a release button, 6 is a display member such as an LCD, 7
Is an exterior member, 8 is a compression coil spring for biasing the outer lid, 9 is a solid memory cartridge, 9a is its memory contact, and 10 is a memory cartridge eject button.

(Operation) Next, an operation in the above configuration will be described.

At the time of photographing, the eject switch 10 is operated to make the opening state as shown in FIG.

If the memory cartridge 9 has a barrier shutter for protecting contacts during insertion, the barrier shutter is opened by opening means (not shown), and the cartridge position is substantially fixed by a locking mechanism (not shown). Then, when the back cover 1 is closed, the memory cartridge contact 9a and the camera contact 4 are brought into contact as shown in FIG. 2 (b). Thereafter, the loading detection switch 3 operates in the insertion completed state, and the state shown in FIG. 2 (b) is maintained by the back cover lock mechanism (not shown).

Next, upon receiving the operation signal of the loading detection switch 3, the camera C starts communication with the memory cartridge 9, confirms whether or not recording is possible, and checks information such as the capacity and type of the memory cartridge 9 and control information. Is read by the camera side and displayed on the camera display unit 6 such as a camera control or LCD, and further, the capacity of the backup battery of the cartridge 9 is checked, a warning is displayed on the camera display unit 6, or when there is an abnormality. Operates to disable the camera operation.

When it is determined that the camera can shoot after the above check operation, the shooting switch of the camera is started by operating the release switch 5 thereafter.

FIG. 3 shows a block diagram of the camera configuration of the present embodiment. In the figure, 11 is a photographing lens, 12 is a solid-state imaging device such as a CCD, 13 is a signal processing circuit, 14 is an A / D converter, 15 is a memory interface, 16 is a control circuit, 17 is a switch for loading a cartridge, and 6 Denotes a display unit such as an LED, and 9 denotes a memory pack (memory cartridge).

The luminous flux passing through the photographing lens 11 is imaged on a CCD 12, subjected to predetermined processing by a signal processing circuit 13, converted into a digital signal by an A / D converter 14, and recorded in a memory pack 9 by a memory interface 15. You.

FIG. 4 shows a control operation sequence flow chart of the camera of this embodiment. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the contents of the communication data, which will be described below with reference to both drawings.

In FIG. 5, after turning on the camera in step S1, the memory cartridge 9 is inserted into the camera body C in step S2.
As described above, the loading completion detection switch 3 operates in step S3 as described above, and after the camera C confirms the operation signal of the detection switch 3, the various types of data recorded in the memory as shown in FIG. The information is read (steps S4 and S5) and displayed on the display unit 6 such as the LCD of the camera C (step S6). If there is no remaining memory capacity in step S7, a warning such as "impossible to photograph" is given to the display unit 6, and photographing by the camera is impossible (steps S8 and S9). If the memory capacity for shooting remains in step S7,
Check the remaining capacity of the memory backup battery in S10,
If the value is equal to or less than the predetermined value, the process jumps to steps S8 and S9 to issue a warning to the camera display section 6 indicating that photographing is not possible, and to control camera photographing to be impossible. In step S10, if the backup battery capacity is equal to or more than the predetermined value, the display in step S12 is performed, and in step S13, a subsequent release signal is used to record and shoot in step S14. Is updated, and the same operation is performed thereafter.

(Other Embodiments) In each of the above-described embodiments, the electrical contact 4 for communication and the loading detection switch 3 are separately provided. However, as shown in FIG. A load detection switch (contact) 4a may be provided in parallel with the electric contact 4b. One of the contacts 4a is for grounding. After loading the cartridge, contact 4
The contacts 4a and 4b contact the cartridge contact 9a, and the output (current value or voltage value) of the load detection contact 4a is "high" or "low" from a predetermined level. Judge "before".

In order to reduce the number of contacts and improve reliability,
The above-mentioned loading detection contact 4a and communication contact 4b are used as a common contact, and signal communication contents (load detection and data communication)
It is also possible to perform communication by shifting in time series.

〔The invention's effect〕

As described above, according to the present invention, there is provided a loading detection unit for detecting completion of loading of a memory cartridge,
Communication control means for starting at least one of the communication of the capacity information of the memory cartridge or the communication of the information of the type of the memory cartridge by the output of the loading detection means, between the memory cartridge and the camera,
Since the camera is equipped with a solid-state camera, it is checked immediately after the memory cartridge is inserted whether or not it is ready to take a picture. Can be prevented. In addition, since the setting according to the type of the memory cartridge can be performed in advance, the photographing operation can be performed quickly and reliably.
If necessary, a warning of the memory capacity, a display of the type, and the like can also be performed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a solid-state camera according to the present invention, FIGS. 2 (a) and 2 (b) are cross-sectional views of a memory cartridge insertion portion in FIG. 1, and FIG. FIG. 4 is an example of a camera operation block diagram of an example, FIG. 4 is a control operation sequence flowchart of the camera of the present embodiment, FIG. 5 is an example diagram of the contents of the communication data, and FIGS. It is each structural drawing of the camera part of one example of the conventional solid-state camera system, and a reproduction | regeneration machine part. C: solid-state camera 2: cartridge holder 3: filling detection switch 4: electric contacts for communication 9: solid-state memory cartridge 9a: memory contacts 16: control circuit

──────────────────────────────────────────────────の Continuing from the front page (72) Inventor Kenichi Nagasawa 770 Shimonoge, Takatsu-ku, Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa Prefecture Inside the Tamagawa Office of Canon Inc. (72) Inventor Junzo Taira 770 Shimonoge, Takatsu-ku, Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa Canon Inc. In-house (56) References JP-A-64-868 (JP, A) JP-A-1-18671 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁶ , DB name) H04N 5/907 H04N 5/225

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: loading detection means for detecting completion of loading of the memory cartridge, wherein at least one of communication of capacity information of the memory cartridge or communication of information of the type of the memory cartridge is performed by an output of the loading detecting means. A solid-state camera comprising: a communication control unit for starting one of the memory cartridge and the camera.