JP3078043B2 - Electronic still camera device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an improvement in an electronic still camera apparatus for converting an optical image of a photographed subject into digital image data and recording the digital image data in a semiconductor memory.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As is well known, an electronic still which converts an optical image of a photographed subject into an electric image signal using a solid-state image sensor, converts the image signal into digital image data, and records the digital image data in a semiconductor memory. Camera devices have been developed.
In this type of electronic still camera device, a memory card in which a semiconductor memory is built in a card-shaped case is configured to be detachable from a camera body, so that a film in a normal camera can be obtained. Equivalent handling is provided.

However, in the above-described conventional electronic still camera device, since all the taken optical images are simply converted into digital image data and recorded in the semiconductor memory, the semiconductor memory has a sufficient capacity. There is a problem that it is not used effectively.

[0004]

As described above, the conventional electronic still camera apparatus has a problem that the capacity of the semiconductor memory is not effectively used.

Accordingly, the present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and provides an extremely good electronic still camera device capable of effectively utilizing the capacity of a semiconductor memory by reducing the data amount as required. The purpose is to provide.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An electronic still camera apparatus according to the present invention is intended for converting an optical image of a photographed subject into digital image data and recording the digital image data in a semiconductor memory. Then, an image frame selecting means for selecting a plurality of image frames prepared in advance to set the shape or size of the image area that can be photographed, and a picture or an image outside the image frame selected by the image frame selecting means A pattern selecting means for selecting a plurality of patterns prepared in advance to set a color,
Control means for converting only the optical image captured in the image frame selected by the image frame selection means into digital image data, and recording the digital image data in a semiconductor memory together with code data indicating the selected image frame and picture. It was done.

[0007]

According to the above configuration, the amount of digital image data is reduced by appropriately setting an image frame as necessary and limiting the image area that can be photographed, so that the capacity of the semiconductor memory is reduced. Can be used effectively. In addition, since the image frame and the picture are recorded in the semiconductor memory as code data, the capacity of the semiconductor memory can be effectively used also in such a point.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. In FIG. 1, an optical image of a subject incident through a lens unit 11 is
And is converted into an image signal, and the data processing circuit 13
Sent to The data processing circuit 13 converts an input image signal into digital image data under the control of a control circuit 14 incorporating a microcomputer or the like (not shown), and performs data compression processing, error correction code addition processing, and the like. Things.

The digital image data processed by the data processing circuit 13 is sent to a memory card 15 and recorded in a semiconductor memory (not shown). In this case, the control circuit 14 generates and outputs various control signals for causing the data processing circuit 13 to perform the above-described data processing when the user operates the shutter 17 while capturing the subject with the finder 16. I do.

Here, an image frame selection switch 18 and a picture selection switch 19 are connected to the control circuit 14. This image frame selection switch 18 is, for example, as shown in FIG.
As shown in (a), (b), and (c), 3
This is a switch for the user to select the type of image frame. Further, the picture selection switch 19 is, for example, as shown in FIG.
These switches are used by the user to select four types of patterns prepared in advance as shown in (a), (b), (c), and (d).

When an image frame and a picture are selected,
The control circuit 14 displays the selected image frame on the finder 16 and displays the selected picture outside the displayed image frame. For example, when the image frame shown in FIG. 2A and the picture shown in FIG.
Is displayed as shown in FIG. 4, and the subject becomes visible only within the image frame.

The control circuit 14 further includes a remaining amount display unit 20 for displaying the remaining capacity of the semiconductor memory in the memory card 15 and an optical image of a subject existing in the selected image frame. A data amount display unit 21 for displaying the data amount when converted into data is connected.
The data amount displayed on the data amount display section 21 is uniquely determined according to the image frame selected by the image frame selection switch 18.

Here, when photographing, first, an image frame selection switch 18 and a picture selection switch 19
Is operated to select an image frame and a pattern, and the data amount displayed on the data amount display section 21 in this state is changed to the remaining amount display section 20.
Confirm that recording can be performed with the remaining capacity indicated in. Then, a desired subject is captured in the image frame displayed in the viewfinder 16 and the shutter 17 is operated.

Then, the optical image of the subject incident through the lens unit 11 is converted into an image signal by the solid-state image sensor and supplied to the data processing circuit 13. By the control, only the image signal corresponding to the optical image of the subject existing in the image frame is converted into digital image data, and data compression processing, error correction code addition processing, and the like are performed.

The digital image data processed by the data processing circuit 13 is sent to the memory card 15 and recorded in the semiconductor memory. In this case, the control circuit 14 sends the code data of the selected image frame and picture to the memory card 15 and records the code data in the semiconductor memory together with the digital image data.

Therefore, according to the configuration as in the above embodiment, the image area that can be photographed is limited by appropriately setting an image frame as necessary, and the amount of digital image data is reduced. The capacity of the semiconductor memory can be used effectively. In addition, since the image frame and the picture are recorded in the semiconductor memory as code data, the capacity of the semiconductor memory can be effectively used also in such a point. It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be implemented with various modifications without departing from the scope of the invention.

[0017]

As described in detail above, according to the present invention,
It is possible to provide an extremely good electronic still camera device in which the amount of data can be reduced as necessary and the capacity of the semiconductor memory can be used effectively.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of an electronic still camera device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a view showing an example of an image frame in the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a view showing an example of a picture in the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is an exemplary view showing display contents of a finder in the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

11: lens unit, 12: solid-state imaging device, 13: data processing circuit, 14: control circuit, 15: memory card, 16:
Finder, 17 shutter, 18 image frame selection switch, 19 picture selection switch, 20 remaining amount display section, 21
... Data amount display section.

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) H04N 5 / 225,5 / 907 H04N 5/91-5/956

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. An electronic still camera device that converts an optical image of a photographed subject into digital image data and records the digital image data in a semiconductor memory, which is prepared in advance to set the shape or size of a photographable image area. Image frame selection means for selecting a plurality of image frames, and a picture selection means for selecting a plurality of pictures prepared in advance to set a picture or color outside the image frame selected by the image frame selection means, Control means for converting only the optical image captured in the image frame selected by the image frame selecting means into digital image data and recording the digital image data in the semiconductor memory together with code data indicating the selected image frame and picture. An electronic still camera device, comprising: