JP3015183B2 - Digital electronic still camera - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a digital electronic still camera.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A digital electronic still camera is a camera that converts an analog video signal representing an imaged subject into digital image data, compresses the data, and records the data on a recording medium such as a memory card.

When image data recorded on a memory card is processed using a personal computer and an image different from the image represented by the image data recorded on the memory card is to be obtained, a digital electronic still is used.・ Remove the memory card from the camera and insert the removed memory card into the personal computer.

[0004]

The image data recorded on the memory card is compressed,
When the card is mounted on a personal computer, the personal computer expands the data to process the image data. The data decompression process can be performed by software, but since the load on the software becomes too large, the data decompression process is usually performed by providing a decompression circuit in a personal computer. However, since the expansion circuit is expensive, it is difficult to reduce the cost of the personal computer.

According to the present invention, it is possible to receive compressed image data transmitted from the outside, expand the data using an expansion circuit included in a digital electronic still camera, and transmit the data to the outside. The purpose is to:

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a decompression means for reading compressed image data from a recording medium connected to a first connector provided in a camera and expanding the data, and an image decompressed by the decompression means. A digital electronic still camera provided with a reproduction processing means for reproducing data, receiving means for receiving compressed image data transmitted from the external device through a second connector provided in the camera for connecting the external device; and The image processing apparatus further comprises control means for controlling the compressed image data received by the receiving means so as to decompress the data by the decompressing means.

In a preferred embodiment, the digital electronic still camera includes a memory for storing the image data expanded by the expansion means, and the image data stored in the memory to an external device through the second connector. There is further provided a transmitting means for transmitting.

[0008]

According to the present invention, the compressed image data transmitted from the external device and received by the receiving means through the second connector is expanded using the expanding means provided in the digital electronic still camera. . The expanded image data is stored in the memory. The image data in the memory is transmitted to the external device via the transmission means and the second connector as needed.

[0009]

According to the present invention, compressed image data transmitted from an external device connected to the second connector is received, and the data is expanded using expansion means provided in the digital electronic still camera. You. Decompressed image data can be obtained without providing a decompression circuit in an external device. Since there is no need to provide a decompression circuit in the external device, the cost of the external device can be reduced.

[0010]

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the present invention and is a block diagram showing an electric configuration of a digital electronic still camera.

The overall operation of the digital electronic still camera 20 is controlled by an overall control unit 10. Overall control unit 10
When a control signal generated by pressing a control switch (not shown) is input, or when a control signal transmitted from the external device 31 is input, a process corresponding to each control signal is performed.

The digital electronic still camera 20 performs a photographing process of compressing data representing a captured subject image and recording the data on a memory card, and expanding the compressed data recorded on the memory card 30 to view the viewfinder 25 or a monitor. In addition to the reproduction processing to be displayed on the display device 32, compressed data or uncompressed image data is transmitted to the external device 31, or compressed data transmitted from the external device 31,
It has a communication processing function of receiving uncompressed image data or control data. For this purpose, the digital electronic still camera 20 includes a memory card, a communication interface 40, and a transmission / reception circuit 60.
The memory card 30 can be connected to the memory card and the transmission interface 40 via a connector 71.
An external device 31 can be connected to the transmission / reception circuit 60 via a connector 72.

A subject image is formed by a CCD 12 by an imaging lens 11.
Imaged on top. An analog video signal representing a subject image is output from the CCD 12 and supplied to the preprocessing circuit 13.

The preprocessing circuit 13 is a circuit for performing processing such as amplification of an input analog video signal. The analog video signal output from the preprocessing circuit 13 is supplied to an A / D conversion circuit 14 and converted into digital image data.

The analog video signal output from the preprocessing circuit 13 is also supplied to a viewfinder 25 via a changeover switch 24. At this time, the changeover switch 24 is turned on at the terminal a, and an analog image signal output from the preprocessing circuit 13 is supplied to the viewfinder 25, so that a subject image is displayed on the viewfinder 25.

The digital image data converted by the A / D conversion circuit 14 is temporarily stored in a frame memory 16 under the control of a memory controller 15. flame·
The digital image data stored in the memory 16 is supplied to a luminance data / color data (Y / C) processing circuit 21 where pixel interpolation is performed. The digital image data on which the pixel interpolation has been performed is applied again to the frame memory 16 and stored.

The digital image data stored in the frame memory 16 is read out again and supplied to the compression / expansion circuit 17. The compression / expansion circuit 17 is a circuit that performs a process of compressing data by Huffman coding and run-length coding and a process of expanding compressed digital image data.
The digital image data compressed by the compression / expansion circuit 17 is stored in a memory card and a communication interface.
The data is given to the memory card 30 via 40 and recorded in a predetermined area.

When reproducing the digital image data recorded on the memory card 30, the digital image data is read from the memory card 30 and applied to the compression / expansion circuit 17 via the memory card and the communication interface 40. When data is expanded by the compression / expansion circuit 17, the data is temporarily stored in the frame memory 16 under the control of the memory controller 15.

The digital image data once stored in the frame memory 16 is read from the frame memory 16 and
The signal is supplied to a D / A conversion circuit 22 via a / C processing circuit 21.
Analog conversion processing is performed by the D / A conversion circuit 22 to obtain an analog video signal. The analog video signal is provided to the post-processing circuit 23.

The analog video signal is amplified and output by the post-processing circuit 23. Digital electronic still camera
The monitor 20 can be connected to a monitor display device 32, and images can be displayed by the monitor display device 32 in addition to the viewfinder 25. During reproduction, the control switch 24 is turned on at the terminal b. As a result, the reproduced image is displayed on the viewfinder 25 and the monitor display device 32.

The digital electronic still camera 20 also has a function of communicating image data with an external device 31.

When transmitting the compressed image data recorded on the memory card 30 to the external device 31, the digital image data recorded on the memory card 30 is read, and the memory card, the communication interface 40 and the transmission / reception circuit are read. It is provided to the external device 31 via 60. The compressed image data transmitted from the external device 31 is stored in a memory card
When the digital image data is recorded in the digital still camera 30, the digital image data is taken into the digital electronic still camera 20 via the transmission / reception circuit 60, and is given to the memory card 30 via the memory card and the communication interface 40 for recording.

The digital electronic still camera 20 can also transmit and receive uncompressed image data to and from an external device 31.

When transmitting the image data stored in the frame memory 16 to the external device 31, the image data is read from the frame memory 16 under the control of the memory controller 15 and applied to the Y / C processing circuit 21. Can be The image data is supplied to the transmission / reception circuit 60 via the Y / C processing circuit 21 and the memory card and the communication interface 40. The image data is transmitted from the transmission / reception circuit 60 to the external device 31. When the image data transmitted from the external device 31 is stored in the frame memory 16, the image data is received by the transmission / reception circuit 60, passed through the memory card and the communication interface 40 and the Y / C processing circuit 21, and stored in the memory controller 15. Frame memory 16 under control
Given to.

Also, control data transmitted from the external device 31 can be received, and the control data is given to the overall control unit 10 via the transmission / reception circuit 60, the memory card, and the communication interface 40. When control data is given to the overall control unit 10, processing corresponding to the control data is performed.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of the memory card and the communication interface 40.

The memory card and the communication interface 40 include a bidirectional buffer 41 capable of transferring data in two directions,
42 and 43, data selectors 44, 45 and 48, a control unit 46 for controlling data selection by the data selectors 44, 45 and 48, a parameter register 47 for analyzing control data and issuing control data, and a buffer register. It has memories 49 and 50.

The memory card and the communication interface 40 further include a packet buffer memory 51 for temporarily storing data for transferring data based on the header, and a memory controller 52 for controlling the packet buffer memory 51. , Transmission data buffer 53, reception data
Buffer 54, parallel / serial (P / S) conversion circuit 5
5, serial / parallel (S / P) conversion circuit 56 and transmission data buffer 53, reception data buffer 54, P
A communication control unit 57 for controlling the / S conversion circuit 55 and the S / P conversion circuit 56 is provided.

In the memory card and communication interface 40, when the photographed subject image is data-compressed and recorded on the memory card 30, the compressed data output from the compression / expansion circuit 17 is given to the bidirectional buffer 43. . This compressed data is sent to the bidirectional data selector 45 and
Memory card provided to bidirectional buffer 42 via 44
Recording of compressed data is performed by inputting to 30.

When the image data recorded on the memory card 30 is reproduced and displayed on the monitor display device 32,
The compressed data recorded on the memory card 30 is read and provided to the bidirectional buffer 42. This compressed data is transmitted to the bidirectional buffer 43 via the bidirectional data selectors 44 and 45.
To the compression / expansion circuit 17 for data expansion. Thereafter, the reproduction processing is performed as described above, and the image is visually displayed on the monitor display device 32.

When transmitting the compressed data recorded on the memory card 30 to the external device 31,
The compressed data is read out from the buffer and supplied to the bidirectional buffer. This compressed data is temporarily stored in the buffer memory 49 via the bidirectional data selector 44 and the data selector 48. The compressed data is read from the buffer memory 49 and applied to the packet buffer memory 51. The packet is temporarily stored in the packet buffer memory 51, and the transfer destination is determined based on the header of the data. The data once stored in the packet buffer memory 51 is given to the transmission data buffer 53 and input to the P / S conversion circuit 55. The data is converted from parallel data to serial data by the P / S conversion circuit 55 and is provided to the transmission / reception circuit 60. It is provided from the transmission / reception circuit 60 to the external device 31.

When compressed data is given from the external device 31, it is input to the S / P conversion circuit 56 via the transmission / reception circuit 60. The data is converted into parallel data by the S / P conversion circuit 56, and is temporarily stored in the packet buffer memory 51 via the reception data buffer 54. The compressed data is read from the packet buffer memory 51, supplied to the buffer memory 50, supplied to the memory card 30 via the bidirectional data selector 44 and the bidirectional buffer 42, and recorded.

The digital electronic still camera 20 can also transmit and receive uncompressed image data to and from the external device 31.

When transmitting the image data stored in the frame memory 16 to the external device 31, the image data is read from the frame memory 16 and passed through the Y / C processing circuit 21 to the memory card and the communication interface 40. Are provided to the bidirectional buffer 41. The image data passes through a bidirectional buffer 41, and is transmitted through a data selector 48, a buffer memory 49, a packet buffer
It is provided to a transmission / reception circuit 60 via a memory 51, a transmission data buffer 53 and a P / S conversion circuit 55. The image data is transmitted from the transmission / reception circuit 60 to the external device 31.

When image data transmitted from the external device 31 is received and stored in the frame memory 16, the image data is received by the transmission / reception circuit 60 and transmitted to the memory card and the S / P conversion circuit 56 of the communication interface 40. Given. The image data converted into parallel data in the S / P conversion circuit 56 is received by the reception data buffer 54,
Y / C processing circuit 21 output via packet buffer memory 51, buffer memory 50, and bidirectional buffer 41
Given to. Then, the Y / C processing circuit 21
Provided and stored in the memory 16.

Further, the digital electronic still camera 20 receives the control data output from the external device 31 and
It can also be provided to the 20 overall control units 10. When the control data is input to the overall control unit 10, a process corresponding to the input control data is performed in the camera 20.

The control data output from the external device 31 is received by the transmission / reception circuit 60 and supplied to the memory card and the S / P conversion circuit 56 of the communication interface 40.
The control data is supplied from the S / P conversion circuit 56 to the parameter register 47 via the reception data buffer 54, the packet buffer memory 51, and the buffer memory 50. The control data is analyzed by the parameter register 47, and the analyzed contents are given to the overall control unit 10. Overall control unit
Processing such as data transfer processing is performed according to the content analyzed by.

When the contents analyzed by overall control unit 10 are input, data representing a response message is output and applied to parameter register 47. Data representing the response message is applied to a transmission / reception circuit 60 via a data selector 48, a buffer memory 49, a packet buffer memory 51, a transmission data buffer 53, and a P / S conversion circuit 55. Data representing the response message is transmitted from the transmission / reception circuit 60 to the external device 31. This allows external devices
It is recognized that the control data transmitted in 31 is received by the digital electronic still camera 40.

The provision of the memory card and the communication interface 40 and the transmission / reception circuit 60 in the digital electronic still camera 20 allows the external device 31 to operate as described above.
Data can be transmitted and received between them. Thereby, for example, the compressed image data representing the subject image captured by the digital electronic still camera 20 is transmitted to the external device 31, the filing process is once performed in the external device 31, and the expanded image data is received and processed, and then processed. The data can be transmitted to the electronic still camera 20, compressed, and recorded on the memory card 30. This processing will be described below.

Referring to FIG. 1, a subject is imaged by CCD 12, image data representing the subject is given to frame memory 16 via pre-processing circuit 13 and A / D conversion circuit 14,
Once stored. The image data stored in the frame memory 16 is stored in a Y / C processing circuit 21, a compression / expansion circuit 17,
The data is given to the memory card 30 as compressed data via the card and the communication interface 40 and recorded.

Control data is output from the external device 31 so that the compressed data recorded on the memory card 30 is read and transmitted, and given to the overall control unit 10 via the transmission / reception circuit 60, the memory card and the communication interface 40. .
The overall control unit 10 controls to read the compressed data recorded on the memory card 30 in response to the control data,
The compressed data is supplied to the external device 31 via the memory card, the communication interface 40, and the transmission / reception circuit 60. Thus, the filing process is once performed in the external device 31.

Next, the control data instructing the compressed data transmitted from the external device 31 to be written into the memory card 30 is
It is provided to the overall control unit 10 of the digital electronic still camera 20. When a response message to the control data is given from the overall control unit 10 to the external device 31, the compressed data is given from the external device 31 to the memory card 30 and recorded.

Further, control data for instructing expansion of the compressed data recorded on the memory card 30 and transmission to the external device 31 is given from the external device 30 to the overall control unit 10. When the control data is received by the overall control unit 10, the compressed data recorded on the memory card 30 is read out, and the data is expanded in the compression / expansion circuit 17. The expanded image data is sent to a Y / C processing circuit 21, a memory card and a communication interface 40, a transmission / reception circuit 60.
Through the external device 31.

When the decompressed image data is supplied to the external device 31, the external device 31 performs a process of processing the image data. When the processing of the image data is completed, control data for instructing to receive the image data transmitted from the external device 31 is supplied from the external device 31 to the overall control unit 10 of the digital electronic still camera. When a response message to the control data is given from the overall control unit 10 to the external device 31, processed image data is output from the external device 31, and the transmission / reception circuit 60, the memory card and the communication interface 40, the Y / C processing circuit 21 Is given to the frame memory 16 and stored.

The processed image data stored in the frame memory 16 is given to a compression / expansion circuit 17 where the data is compressed and recorded on a memory card 30. As a result, the processed compressed image data is recorded on the memory card 30.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1, showing an embodiment of the present invention, is a block diagram illustrating an electrical configuration of a digital electronic still camera.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a memory card and a communication interface.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 Overall control unit 12 CCD 16 Frame memory 17 Compression / expansion circuit 20 Digital electronic still camera 40 Memory card and communication interface 60 Transmission / reception circuit

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A decompression means for reading compressed image data from a recording medium connected to a first connector provided in a camera to decompress data, and a reproduction processing means for reproducing the image data decompressed by the decompression means; Receiving means for receiving compressed image data transmitted from the external device through a second connector provided in the camera for connecting the external device, and receiving the compressed image data received by the receiving device. Control means for controlling the compressed image data to be expanded by the expansion means. 2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a memory for storing the image data expanded by the expansion unit, and a transmission unit for transmitting the image data stored in the memory to an external device through the second connector. Item 2. A digital electronic still camera according to item 1.