JP2828672B2 - Camera-integrated VTR - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a camera-integrated VTR having an interval recording mode.

[Conventional technology]

Some camera-integrated VTRs have a so-called interval recording mode function that alternately repeats recording for a fixed time and recording standby (stop) for a fixed time according to a command from an operation button. FIG. 5 shows a configuration example of a conventional camera-integrated VTR having the above functions.

In the figure, 1 is a system control unit, 2 is a power supply unit that supplies power to each circuit, 3 is an imaging unit that captures an image of a subject, converts the captured subject into an electric signal, and outputs it.
Reference numeral denotes a rotary head type magnetic recording / reproducing device unit (hereinafter, referred to as a VTR unit) for recording and reproducing a video signal output from the imaging device unit 3 on a magnetic tape.

The imaging device unit 3 includes an imaging unit 5, an electric signal processing circuit 6, and a synchronization signal generation circuit 7. When capturing an image of a subject, the imaging unit 5 forms an image of the subject on a charge storage unit of an image sensor such as a CCD via a lens. The image of the subject formed on the charge storage unit is scanned by a signal from the synchronization signal generation circuit 7 and read out in the form of a temporally continuous electric signal. The read electric signal is converted into a normal television signal by the electric signal processing circuit 6, and the television signal is output from the imaging device unit 3.

On the other hand, the main part of the VTR unit 4 is composed of a video signal recording circuit 8, a video signal reproduction circuit 9, a drum rotation control circuit 12, a capstan rotation control circuit 13, and the like. The signal is taken by the imaging signal recording circuit 8
The signal is converted into an FM modulation signal, input to a rotating magnetic head 11 via a recording / reproducing switch 10 and a rotary transformer (not shown), and is recorded on the magnetic tape by the head 11. Further, in the drum rotation control circuit 12, 21 is a phase comparator, 14 is a phase compensation circuit, 15 is a speed control circuit, 16 is a motor drive circuit, and 18 is a drum (not shown) on which the rotary magnetic head 11 is mounted. Drum motor for rotating the drive), 17
Is a rotation position detection device that detects the rotation position of the rotating drum,
Reference numeral 19 denotes a speed detection device for detecting the rotation speed of the drum motor 18. The rotation of the rotary drum is controlled as follows.

That is, when a video signal is recorded on a magnetic tape, a vertical synchronizing signal output from the imaging device unit 3; otherwise, a reference signal from the internal reference signal generator 22 and a rotation position from the rotation position detection device 17. The so-called PG signal, which is a detection signal, is compared in phase with a phase comparator 21, and the phase error signal output from the phase comparator 21 is phase-compensated through a phase compensation circuit 14. On the other hand, a speed error signal is obtained by the speed control circuit 15 based on the speed detection signal obtained from the speed detection device 19, the speed error signal is added to the output of the phase compensation circuit 14, and the added signal is used as a motor drive circuit. The rotation phase of the rotating drum is controlled by driving the drum motor 18 by inputting it to 16.

The capstan control circuit 13 includes the drum rotation control circuit 12
121 is a phase comparator, 114 is a phase compensation circuit, 115 is a speed control circuit, 116 is a motor drive circuit, 118
Is a capstan motor for moving the magnetic tape at a constant speed, 117 is a rotation phase detection device for detecting the rotation phase of the capstan, 119 is a speed detection device for detecting the rotation speed of the capstan motor 118. The rotation control is performed as follows, similarly to the drum rotation control.

That is, when a video signal is recorded on a magnetic tape, the vertical synchronization signal output from the imaging device unit 3; otherwise, the reference signal from the internal reference signal generator 122 and the rotation phase from the rotation phase detection device 117. The phase of the detected signal is compared with that of the detected signal by the phase comparator 121, and the phase error signal output from the phase comparator 121 is phase-compensated through the phase compensation circuit 114. On the other hand, the speed control circuit 115 obtains a speed error signal from the speed detection signal obtained from the speed detection device 119, adds the speed error signal and the output of the phase compensation circuit 114, and outputs the added signal to the motor drive circuit. The rotation of the capstan is controlled by inputting it to 116 and driving the capstan motor 118. Thus, the capstan rotates at a constant speed in synchronization with the synchronization signal.

The system control unit 1 is a rotating block that controls the operation of the entire system, and includes a start / stop switch 40, an interval recording switch 41, and various other operation switches 4.
3 and information from various sensors 45, the system is brought into a predetermined operation state by various power supply control signals and various system control signals, and various operation displays are performed by various display devices 44. The power supply unit 2 is a system control unit 1
Based on the various power supply control signals, necessary power is supplied to each circuit unit. In the electronic viewfinder 46, a reproduced signal from the video signal reproducing circuit 9 at the time of signal reproduction, and a television signal from the electric signal processing circuit 6 of the imaging device section 3 in other operating states, a built-in CRT (cathode line). On the tube).

The above-mentioned camera-integrated VTR is usually portable,
When shooting outdoors, a battery is generally used as a power source. At present, such a camera-integrated VTR
The power consumption during photographing is about 6 W to 10 W, and the battery capacity is set so that the photographing time of about one hour is guaranteed in consideration of the appropriate size and weight of the battery.

FIG. 6 is a system operation state transition diagram in the camera-integrated VTR shown in FIG. In FIG. 6, EJECT
Indicates the cassette insertion / removal state, STOP indicates the standby state (stop state), FF indicates the tape fast-forward, REW indicates the tape reverse fast-forward, PB indicates the recording signal playback state from the tape, These indicate forward and reverse speed search states, respectively. REC indicates a state in which the photographed subject is recorded on the tape, and REC PAUSE indicates a recording standby state before shifting to the REC state. INTERVAL REC indicates a state in which a photographed subject is recorded on a tape in the interval recording mode, and is substantially the same as the REC state. INTERVAL
REC PAUSE indicates a recording standby state before shifting to the INTERVAL REC state, and is substantially the same as the REC PAUSE state. POWER indicates the state of POWER OFF (power off).
In the above conventional example, a so-called loading standby method is adopted, and when a cassette is inserted, a tape is loaded,
Stand by with the tape wrapped around the rotating drum (STO
P). In the STOP state, supply of power to circuit blocks other than the system control unit 1 in FIG. 5 is stopped. When taking an image of a subject, a specific operation key is operated from the outside, and the operation state of the system shifts to REC PAUSE. REC P
Normally, the transition to AUSE is completed by moving the tape backward by an amount corresponding to a recording time of about 1 to 2 seconds from the position where the recording was stopped.
In this state, the drum rotation control circuit 12, which is necessary to rotate the rotating drum in at least the system control unit 1, the imaging device unit 3, the electronic viewfinder 46, and the VTR unit 4, is usually provided.
It is necessary to supply power to the capstan rotation control circuit 13. When the start / stop switch 40 is operated in the REC PAUSE state, the tape is held between the capstan and the pinch roller (not shown), and the tape runs, and at the same time, power is supplied to a circuit block necessary for recording a signal. The recorded signal is recorded on the tape (REC). When the start / stop switch 40 is operated in the REC state, the tape reverses for about 1 to 2 seconds and stops, and
C The system shifts to the PAUSE state and enters recording standby. When the interval recording switch 41 is operated, the state becomes the INTERVAL REC PAUSE state, and becomes the same state as the above REC PAUSE. When the start / stop switch 40 is operated, the INTERVAL REC
The state becomes the same as the above-mentioned REC, and after the state is maintained for a certain time, the state returns to the INTERVAL REC PAUSE state, and after a certain time, the state becomes the INTERVAL REC again. Thereafter, these repetitions are automatically performed. When the interval recording switch 41 is operated again in this state, the interval recording mode is released.

In order to reproduce a signal from the STOP state, operating a reproduction operation key causes a power supply to a circuit block necessary for reproducing a signal from a tape in the system control unit 1, the electronic viewfinder 46 and the VTR unit 4. Is supplied to reproduce the signal (PB).

In the current camera-integrated VTR, as described above, efforts are being made to stop the supply of power to unnecessary circuit blocks within a range that does not hinder the operation of the apparatus and to minimize the consumption of the battery.

The REC in the system operation state transition diagram of FIG.
In the recording standby state such as the PAUSE state, it is necessary to supply power to most of the device (this is equivalent to about 80 to 90% when the power consumption during actual shooting and recording is 100%). If the state lasts for a long time, the battery will be significantly consumed.

Next, the actual operation when shooting with a camera-integrated VTR and the operation of the camera-integrated VTR will be described. Needless to say, when photographing, after operating the necessary operation keys, first, the lens is pointed at the subject to be photographed, the subject image to be photographed is confirmed in the viewfinder, and focusing is performed manually or automatically. After the necessary operations are completed before the start of photographing, the operation key (start / stop switch 40) is operated to transmit input information for starting recording to the camera-integrated VTR. When the start / stop switch 40 is operated, a capstan and a pinch roller sandwich the magnetic tape in the camera-integrated VTR to start running, and first, while reproducing the signals already recorded on the tape, the capstan The rotation control circuit 13 controls travel so that the track trajectory of the recording signal already recorded on the tape matches the scanning trajectory drawn by the magnetic head mounted on the rotating drum (so-called joint shooting). After the recording track already recorded coincides with the scanning locus of the magnetic head, the actual recording on the tape is started.

As described above, since various operations and operations are required for recording, in the conventional example shown in FIG. 5, in the recording standby state (REC PAUSE state in the example according to the system operation state transition diagram in FIG. 6). Power is supplied to the imaging device section 3, the electronic viewfinder 46, the drum rotation control circuit 12, and the capstan rotation control circuit 13, and the electronic viewfinder 46 is supplied.
In order to confirm the image of the subject input from the lens on the screen, the rotation of the rotating drum is performed, and the sweeping of the charge accumulating unit storing the image of the subject in the imaging unit 5 and the rotation of the rotating drum are performed. At the same time that the phase is synchronized with the phase, the capstan is also synchronized with the synchronization signal generation circuit 7 of the imaging device section.
It is configured to rotate at a constant speed in synchronization with a synchronization signal from the controller. Therefore, if the start / stop switch 40 is operated from this recording standby state, the time required for the continuous shooting (1)
２2 seconds, which is an amount corresponding to the tape reversal time described above).

The subject image is converted into an electric signal as described above, and is recorded on the tape by the rotating magnetic head.

Next, interval recording will be described. In this case as well, after the subject image to be photographed is determined, the interval recording switch 41 is operated, and then the start / stop switch 40 is operated. As a result, the running of the magnetic tape is started as described above, and the REC is performed following the continuous shooting operation.
State (INTERVAL REC) is entered and recording is performed. In the interval recording mode, when the recording is performed for 2 seconds, for example, a command a is output from the system control unit 1 in FIG. 5, and a signal equivalent to operating the start / stop switch 40 is input to the system control unit 1, Recording is stopped, and REC PAUSE (INTERVAL REC PAUSE)
The state shifts to the recording standby state. Next, the recording standby state continues for, for example, two minutes, the command a is output again from the system control unit 1, and recording is started. Hereinafter, these series of recording to recording standby operations are automatically repeated, and the operation is performed, for example, up to 500 times or until the interval recording switch 41 is operated again. Such a recording mode is a convenient function for examining the state of a flower that blooms for a long time, for example.

As described above, in a conventional camera-integrated VTR, even in a recording standby state in which recording is not actually performed, power close to the power at the time of recording is consumed. In the interval recording mode, most of the power is consumed for recording standby, and therefore, there has been a disadvantage that performing interval recording using a battery limits the number of interval recordings. Therefore, at present, when performing long-time interval recording (for example, the above-mentioned 500 times), a battery is not used, and an external power supply such as an AC adapter is connected to the camera-integrated VTR to solve this problem.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and a camera-integrated VTR capable of performing interval recording for a long time by greatly reducing power consumption in a recording standby state.
The purpose is to provide.

[Means for solving the problem]

A camera-integrated VTR according to the present invention is characterized in that power supply control is performed in a recording standby state in an interval recording mode.

[Action]

According to the present invention, in the interval recording mode, power is not supplied to a circuit that does not require operation during a specific period of the recording standby state (INTERVAL REC PAUSE), and the above-described operation is performed a predetermined time before the recording state (INTERVAL REC) starts. It is configured to supply power, reducing power consumption.

〔Example〕

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

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 3 denotes an image pickup unit. In this image pickup unit 3, reference numeral 5 denotes an image forming unit for forming an image of a subject on a charge storage unit of an image pickup device such as a CCD via a lens, and reference numeral 7 denotes a vertical synchronizing signal. A synchronizing signal generating circuit 6 for generating various synchronizing signals such as an electric signal processing for converting a signal scanned by the signal of the synchronizing signal generating circuit 7 and read out in the form of an electric signal into a normal television signal; Circuit.

Reference numeral 4 denotes a VTR unit for recording an output signal of the image pickup device unit 3 on a track inclined in the longitudinal direction of the magnetic tape by a rotating magnetic head. It comprises a circuit 9, a drum rotation control circuit 12, a capstan rotation control circuit 13, and the like. The drum rotation control circuit 12 includes a phase comparator 21, a phase compensation circuit 14, a speed control circuit 15, a motor drive circuit 16, a drum rotation position detection device 17 for detecting the rotation position of the rotating drum, a drum motor 18, and a speed detection device. 19 and a reference signal generating circuit 22. The capstan rotation control circuit 13 also has the same configuration as the drum rotation control circuit 12, and detects the phase comparator 121, the phase compensation circuit 114, the speed control circuit 115, the motor drive circuit 116, and the rotation phase of the capstan. It has a capstan rotation phase detection device 117, a capstan motor 118, a speed detection device 119, and a reference signal generation circuit 122.

The system control unit 1 is a circuit block for controlling the operation of the entire system, and includes a start / stop switch 40, an interval recording switch 41, a power control function changeover switch 4
2, information is obtained from other various operation switches 43 and various sensors 45, and the system is brought into a predetermined operation state by various power control signals and various system control signals,
Various operation displays are performed by various display devices 44. The power supply unit 2 supplies and stops power to the image pickup unit 3 and the VTR unit 4 based on a power control signal from the system control unit 1. An electronic viewfinder 46 includes a CRT for converting a video signal into an optical image and an electric circuit for driving the CRT. Reference numeral 42 denotes a changeover switch for enabling or disabling the power supply control function in the interval recording mode. 47 recording period T _R setting means for setting a period of INTERVAL REC state in the interval recording, 48 is a waiting period T _P setting means for setting a period of INTERVAL REC PAUSE state in interval recording. Generally T _R
A << T _P, for example, T _R = 2 sec, are set to as T _P = 2 min.

 Next, the operation will be described.

When performing normal recording, it is the same as described in the conventional example, and the description is omitted. The operation in the interval recording mode according to the present invention will be described below.

When photographing a subject, the subject image is first checked from the electronic viewfinder 46 in the REC PAUSE state. Next, the interval recording switch 41 is operated to set the interval recording mode. In this state, the recording period T _R setting means
47 and sets the T _R and T _P by waiting time T _P setting means 48. Thereafter, when the start / stop switch 40 is operated, the interval recording is started. That is, for example, recording of T _R = 2 seconds is performed, then recording is stopped, and the magnetic tape is
Go backwards for about a second and stop. The recording stop period (standby time) continues, for example, for T _P = 2 minutes. In the interval recording mode, the recording 2 seconds and the standby 2 minutes are alternately and automatically repeated. When the recording is stopped and the tape is stopped after moving backward, that is, when the apparatus enters the recording standby mode, the power supplied from the power supply unit 2 to the electronic viewfinder 46 and the VTR unit 4 is controlled as follows. That is, these power supplies are stopped until a few seconds before the next recording starts, and the electronic viewfinder 46 is turned off.
And the operation of the VTR unit 4 is stopped. Thereby, power consumption is suppressed. A few seconds before the start of recording, the power is supplied again, and the electronic viewfinder 46 and VTR
The unit 4 starts operating, and the rotating drum and the capstan are activated.

When power supply is started, the drum rotation control circuit 12 starts the drum motor 18 and the speed control circuit 15 controls
Start the drum rotation at a constant speed in about 0.5 seconds. Similarly, in the capstan control circuit 13, the rotation of the capstan rises to a constant speed in about 0.2 to 0.3 seconds. Thus, the REC PAUSE (INTERVAL REC PAUSE) state is entered. After this, the time required for continuous shooting has elapsed (usually about 1 to 2 seconds)
Then, when the recording stop period becomes T _P = 2 minutes, recording is automatically started again, recording is performed for T _R = 2 seconds, and thereafter, the state again shifts to the REC PAUSE state. Hereinafter, these series of operations are repeated. This situation will be described with reference to FIG. 2. FIG. 2 (a) shows a state in which the interval recording mode is set, and FIG. 2 (b) shows the electronic viewfinder 46 and the VTR from the power supply unit 2. The state of supply to the unit 4 is shown, and FIG. 3C shows the state of interval recording. In FIG. 2, the time period t must include at least the time required for the VTR section 4 to rise and for the continuous shooting.
The electronic viewfinder 46 is operated to confirm the subject image immediately before the start of the interval recording, and it is necessary to consider the time required for this.
It is also possible to add 2 to 3 seconds to about 2 seconds and set t to a value of several seconds.

The charge storage unit used in the image pickup unit 5 is roughly classified into a so-called image pickup tube called a tube type,
There is a so-called semiconductor image pickup device using a semiconductor such as a formula or a CCD system.

In the case of a semiconductor imaging device, a normal video signal can be obtained in about 0.5 seconds including the time required for stabilizing the electric signal processing circuit unit 6. On the other hand, since the imaging tube needs to be heated by a heater, a heating time of at least about 4 to 5 seconds is required after the power is turned on. Therefore, in this case, t = about 7 to 8 seconds will be required.

As a matter of course, when an optical viewfinder is used instead of the electronic viewfinder 46, the power supply is completely irrelevant, the subject can be checked at all times, and the above-mentioned t needs only to consider the rise time of the VTR unit 4.

Fig. 3 shows that when the battery capacity is set so that the continuous recording time is guaranteed for about one hour,
When the recording standby state (REC PAUSE) is repeated for P minutes, the approximate time that can be actually recorded on the tape when the same battery is used is calculated. a is an example of the case of the camera-integrated VTR according to the present invention, and the power consumption in the recording standby state ( _TP period in FIG. 2C) is about 3% of the power consumption in the recording state. I have. b shows the case of the camera-integrated VTR based on the conventional example, in which the power consumption in the recording standby state (REC PAUSE) is about 94% of the power consumption in the recording state (REC). is there.

In FIG. 3, for example, if an interval recording mode in which P = 3, that is, recording is about 1 minute, and the recording standby state is 3 minutes is set, the actual recording time on the tape of the conventional camera-integrated VTR is about 19 minutes. In this case, the number n of interval recordings is about 19, and the possible period of the interval recording mode is about 19 times × (1 minute + 3 minutes) = about 76 minutes. On the other hand, in the interval recording according to the present invention, since the actual recording time is about 57 minutes, recording is performed about 57 times, and the interval recording mode can be performed in about 57 ×
(1 + 3) = 228 minutes, which clearly shows the effectiveness of the present invention. This effect becomes more remarkable as the interval recording time is shorter and the standby time is longer, that is, as T _P / T _R is larger in FIG.

FIG. 4 shows the discharge characteristics of a NiCd battery commonly used in a commercially available camera-integrated VTR. For example, a curve shown as 1 CmA indicates that the battery can be used for about 1 hour when continuously discharged with a current consumption of 1 CmA. As is apparent from FIG. 4, it can be easily understood that as the amount of discharge decreases, the continuous dischargeable time significantly increases.

At present, in a commercially available camera-integrated VTR, a system (controller) 1 generally uses a microprocessor, that is, a so-called microcomputer.
This microcomputer always operates dynamically with a built-in clock. In this case, the microcomputer itself requires power consumption of several mA. However, depending on the type, a static operating state (so-called sleeping mode (Sleeping mode)) is required. Mode)). In this case, power consumption of several tens of μA is sufficient, and the use of the sleeping mode operation state is more effective.

That is, as described above, in the interval recording mode, as the ratio of the recording standby time to the recording time is increased, the number of recordings increases, and the time in the interval recording mode becomes longer.

The power control function changeover switch 42 is provided for performing interval recording manually at any time in the recording standby state even in the interval recording mode. By operating this switch 42, power is always supplied from the power supply unit 2 to the electronic viewfinder 46 and the VTR unit 4 in the same manner as in a conventional camera-integrated VTR.
That is, the power supply control is released, and the recording standby state as in the related art is established. Therefore, if the start / stop switch 40 is operated at any time during this period, the recording state can be entered. When the switch 42 is operated again, the state of the power supply control is entered.

In the above-described embodiment, all the power supplies of the electronic viewfinder and the VTR unit are controlled. However, power supply control may be performed for only a part of them, for example, only a part where power consumption is dominant.

〔The invention's effect〕

As described above, according to the present invention, in the interval recording mode, only the minimum power required for system control is supplied during the period excluding the time required to shift to recording during recording standby. So a camera-integrated VTR
In the interval recording mode, there is an effect that the period of the interval recording mode can be significantly prolonged by using the same capacity battery. Further, power consumption is reduced and heat generation of the device is also reduced. This also has the effect of reducing the deterioration of the devices and components.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a camera-integrated VTR according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the apparatus in an interval recording mode, and FIG. FIG. 4 shows the actual recording time which can be actually recorded on the tape when the recording standby time P is repeated for the embodiment of the present invention and the conventional example. FIG. N used for body VTR
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a discharge characteristic of an iCd battery, FIG. 5 is a circuit block diagram of a conventional camera-integrated VTR, and FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a system operation state transition of the conventional camera-integrated VTR. 1 is a system control unit, 2 is a power supply unit, 3 is an imaging unit, 12 is a drum rotation control unit, 13 is a capstan rotation control unit, 40 is a start / stop switch, 41 is an interval recording switch, and 46 is a viewfinder. It is. In the drawings, the same reference numerals indicate the same or corresponding parts.

Continuation of the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁶ , DB name) H04N 5/782 H04N 5/91 H04N 5/225

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] A means for capturing an object image, converting an optical image into an electric signal and recording the same on a magnetic tape, a capstan rotation control means for transferring the magnetic tape, and recording the electric signal Rotation control means for rotationally driving a magnetic head for use, a viewfinder device for confirming a subject image, and an interval recording mode command means for repeating a fixed recording stop period and a subsequent recording period a plurality of times. In the camera-integrated VTR, at the time of the interval recording mode, at least one of the capstan rotation control means, the drum rotation control means, and the view finder device for a specific period following the recording period in the recording stop period. Power supply to one of them and restart this stopped power supply a certain time before the next recording period starts. Camera integrated VTR, characterized in that a means.