JP3093700B2 - Electronic camera - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to an electronic camera having a recording and reproducing function.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Various types of electronic cameras having recording and reproducing functions have been known.

[0003]

As such an electronic camera, for example, an electronic still video camera handling a small medium called a still video floppy is configured to operate using a battery as a power source. If you do not turn off the switch, power will not be supplied from the battery at the time of emergency,
If the recording or reproduction operation cannot be performed, or if the power switch is turned off so that power is not unnecessarily consumed, a plurality of recording or reproduction operations can be started. However, there is a problem that the recording or reproduction operation cannot be started instantaneously because of the time required for the switch operation and the operation.

Several methods have been proposed for starting the recording operation smoothly with as short a response as possible. However, it has not yet been recognized that the reproducing operation is required to be performed quickly when it is necessary to reduce the power consumption. Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an electronic camera capable of starting a playback operation smoothly with low power consumption.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, an electronic camera according to the present invention comprises a recording / reproducing means for recording and reproducing an image signal on and from a medium; Setting means for setting a reproducing mode for starting a reproducing operation by means and a recording mode for executing a recording operation in response to a given recording trigger, provided when the recording mode is set by the setting means Recording control means for causing the recording / reproducing means to execute a recording operation in response to a recording trigger; auto-shut-off control means for stopping the reproducing operation when a predetermined time has elapsed since the reproduction operation was started in the reproduction mode; In a state where the reproduction operation is stopped by the off control means and a recording mode is not set by the setting means, a predetermined In response to the work member is operated, and having a recovery control means for recovering the playback operation.

(Operation) In the above configuration, operability can be improved without increasing the number of operation members.

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In one embodiment of the present invention described below, a still video recording apparatus for forming concentric tracks on a disk is exemplified, but the present invention is not limited to such an apparatus. In addition to a disk shape, a card shape or a tape shape may be used.

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

An apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the apparatus of the present embodiment. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a magnetic disk as a recording medium, and 2 denotes a rotating magnetic disk 1.
, A magnetic head for recording, reproducing, and erasing signals on tracks formed on the magnetic disk 1, a motor 3 for rotating the magnetic disk 1, and a motor 4 for controlling the motor 3 to drive the magnetic disk 1. A motor servo circuit for rotating at a constant speed, a head moving mechanism for moving the magnetic head 2 in a radial direction of the magnetic disk 1 and positioning the magnetic head 2 on a track formed concentrically on the magnetic disk 1;
Reference numeral 6 denotes a camera unit formed of an optical system including a photographing lens, an aperture shutter, and a photographing element that converts image information photographed by the optical system into an electric signal, and 7 denotes FM modulation of an electric signal output from the camera unit. A recording signal processing circuit for converting the signal into a signal suitable for recording on a magnetic disk by supplying the signal to the magnetic head 2 via SW1;
Is a reproduction signal processing circuit to which a signal reproduced from a track on the magnetic disk 1 from the magnetic head 2 is input via SW2, performs signal processing such as FM demodulation, converts the signal into an original video signal, A reproduction signal processing circuit that outputs a video signal to a video signal output terminal. Reference numeral 9 denotes an erase signal supply circuit for supplying an erase current to the magnetic head 2 via SW1. Reference numeral 10 denotes a system control circuit for controlling the apparatus. The system control circuit 10 includes a motor servo circuit 4, a head moving mechanism 5, a camera unit 6, a recording signal processing circuit 7, a reproduction processing circuit 8, an erasing signal supply circuit 9, an SW1, and the like. Is controlled. Reference numeral 11 denotes an operation unit for inputting commands corresponding to various modes to the system control circuit 10, and includes a release switch 21, an FWD switch 23, and a REV switch 2.
5. It has switches to be described later such as a mode switch 27.
A display unit 12 displays information related to each mode by the system control circuit 10, and includes a 2-digit 7-segment display. Reference numeral 13 denotes a power supply unit for supplying power to the apparatus, whereby each block of the apparatus is supplied with power. Reference numeral 20 denotes a power switch for switching whether to supply power from the power supply unit 13 to each unit of the apparatus. Reference numeral 14 denotes a 1/4 voltage dividing circuit for dividing the power supply voltage output from the power supply unit 13 into 1/4,
6 and 17 indicate that the signal output from the 1/4 voltage dividing circuit 14 is +
This is a voltage comparison circuit which is inputted to the terminal and to which the preset voltages V1, V2, V3 are inputted to the-terminal. The output signals of the voltage comparison circuits 15, 16, 17 are input to the system control circuit 10 described above. 19 is a terminal for outputting the image signal processed by the reproduction signal processing circuit 8 to the outside, 21 is a release switch for recording an image, 23 is a REV switch for instructing the head 2 to move to the outer peripheral side, 25 Is a FWD switch for instructing the head 2 to move inward, 27 is a switch for setting various modes among the set recording modes, 29 is a recording mode, an erasing mode, a reproducing mode, and A switch for setting a lock mode. When the lock mode is set, the switch 20 is turned off, and the power of the entire apparatus is turned off.
Reference numeral 31 denotes a recording presence / absence determination circuit for determining the presence / absence of recording of the track accessed by the head 2 from the output of the head 2; Head 2
Is a memory for storing the number of the track being accessed. Reference numeral 35 denotes a disk conversion detection circuit, which detects conversion of a medium by photocouplers 35a and 35b. Reference numeral 37 denotes an innermost / outermost detecting circuit for detecting that the head 2 has reached the innermost or outermost circumference. Reference numeral 40 denotes a timer circuit for detecting the operation time of the apparatus, and the timing of starting clearing and counting is controlled according to the output of the system control circuit 10.

Next, the external appearance of the apparatus of this embodiment is shown in FIG.
This will be described with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view (from the front right) of the apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 3 is a perspective view (from the front left) of the apparatus shown in FIG. 2 with the exterior member removed, and FIG. FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the optical system, and FIG. 5 is an external view (from the rear) of the apparatus shown in FIG.

The exterior member of the apparatus shown in FIG. 2 is mainly composed of an upper cover 102, a lower cover 101, an opening / closing pig 104 constituting a lid member of a video floppy loading section which is a disk used in the apparatus of the present embodiment, Further, a protective cover 103 attached so as to cover various optical systems from the front.
It consists of.

In FIG. 3 from which these exterior members have been removed, an image pickup device 109 is soldered, and a shutter unit 111 having a built-in image pickup lens unit 112 is arranged in front of a substrate 110. The shutter unit 1
11, a photometric IC 114 and a photometric sensor 1
A printed circuit board 113 to which 15 is soldered is fixed to the shutter unit.

Further, an escape hole 113-a for an image pickup optical system and an LED 116 for display at the time of self-timer shooting are mounted on the substrate 113.

With respect to the imaging block configured as described above,
As shown in FIG. 2, the protective cover 103 is attached from the front in a state where each of the above-mentioned exterior members is mounted.

In FIG. 4, which is a cross-sectional view of the protective cover 103, the photometric condenser lens 7 and the colorimetric diffuser plate 108 are each a photometric IC 11 mounted on the printed circuit board 113.
4 and attached to the protective cover 103 so as to face the colorimetric sensor 115.

Further, a protective glass 119 is fixed to the protective cover 103 at the front thereof.

The switches described with reference to FIG. 1 are arranged as shown in FIG. 5. In FIG. 5, reference numeral 120 denotes a finder for observing a subject imaged by an image pickup optical system, and 122 denotes a flash photography mode. A setting switch 130 is an exposure compensation switch.

In the present embodiment, the configuration of the electronic camera shown in FIG. 5 enables the electronic camera to be made thin and easy to use.

Next, the operation of the embodiment configured as described above will be described.

FIGS. 6 to 10 are flowcharts for explaining the operation of this embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining the overall operation of the apparatus of this embodiment.

Incidentally, this flow is based on the switch 2 shown in FIG.
9 is executed by releasing the lock.

In FIG. 6, S-00 is a photocoupler 35.
a, 35b is a circuit for detecting the presence or absence of a disk in accordance with the output of 35b.
The blinking of “00” as shown in FIG. 1B is performed and displayed by the display unit 12. If there is a disk in S-00, S-
In step S1, it is determined whether or not the disk replacement has been detected by the disk replacement detection circuit 35. In step S-2, it is determined whether or not the reproduction mode (PB mode) is set by the slide switch 29. Is R
Determining whether the EC flag is set,
In step S-6, it is determined whether or not the release switch 21 has been turned on.
The flow branches to 3. S-3 is the REV switch 25 when the PB mode is not set in S-2.
Is a step of determining whether or not is turned on.
Is a step for determining whether or not the FWD switch 23 has been turned on. In addition, S-1, S-2, S-3, S-
When it is determined to be “Yes” in each step of step 4, the flow will be described later in <A>, <D>, <B>, <C>, respectively.
Execute each routine.

If it is not determined in step S-4 that the FWD switch is on, it is determined whether or not the switch 27 is on (S-15). If the switch 27 is on, the system control circuit 10 Is incremented (S-17).

In the apparatus of this embodiment, each time the mode switch 27 shown in FIGS. 1 and 5 is turned on, a continuous recording mode, a single recording mode, and a self-timer recording mode can be set. 12 is the one shown in FIG.
The display switches as shown in (g) and (h). In order to surely set such a mode, in the apparatus of the present embodiment, the system control circuit 10 has a mode counter therein, and this counter is incremented from “0” → “1” → “2” → The count value is cyclically updated as "0".

The count value of the mode counter is "0".
In this case, the single recording mode is set, in the case of "1", the continuous recording mode is set, and in the case of "2", the self-timer recording mode is set. Subsequent to S-17, it is determined whether or not the switch 27 has been turned off (S-19), and the flow returns to <E>. On the other hand, if the switch 27 is not turned on in S-15, an error of the apparatus is detected, and when it is detected that any failure, for example, the servo of the motor 3 is disabled, a display as shown in FIG. I do.

If the REC flag is set in S-5, the flow branches to <3> in FIG. 7 to be described later if the REC flag is not set in S-6.

If it is determined in S-6 that the release switch is ON, it is determined in S-7 whether the track being accessed by the head has been recorded. 7 <7> described later to display
The flow branches off. If not already recorded, the signal from the camera unit 6 is recorded on the disk 1 by the head 2 via the processing circuit 7 in S-8 through the processing circuit 7, and the head 2 is moved to the inner peripheral side on the disk 1 in S-10. Next, the track is moved to an empty track, and it is determined whether the single recording mode or the continuous recording mode is set according to the count value of the mode counter described in S-17 (S-1).
2) If the single recording mode is set, S-1
At 3 it is confirmed that the release switch is off, and the flow returns to <E>. On the other hand, if it is determined in S-12 that the continuous recording mode is set, the predetermined time is maintained for a continuous recording interval (S-14).
The flow returns to S-6.

Next, the routine shown in <A> will be described with reference to FIG.

In the following description, the step numbers shown in the flow will be described by enclosing them in <>.

<1> When the disk replacement detection circuit 35 detects that the disk has been replaced, the control device controls the head moving mechanism until the detection circuit 37 detects that the head has been sent to the innermost circumference. At the same time, all the recorded track tables (included in the memory 23) are set to "0"(<2>,<3>). Thereafter, the head 2 is made to access each track in order from the 50th track, and the discrimination circuit 31
Then, the presence or absence of recording is checked, and if <6> the 50th track has been recorded, a message of <7>"Recording of the 50th track has been completed" is displayed on the 7 segments of the display unit 12. For example, if the number of segments of the liquid crystal is reduced to 50 as shown in FIG. 11A, the number of segments of the liquid crystal can be reduced, and the user can easily understand. In <6>, there are 50 recorded tracks.
If it is detected that the track is not a track, <8> the head 2 is moved one track toward the inner circumference side, that is, the head 2 is moved to an empty track, and <9> the current track position is numerically displayed. If it is detected in <4> that the track is not a recorded track, the <10> head is moved to the outer circumference of one track, and the presence or absence of recording is checked again in <4>. still,
In <5>, the corresponding address of the table included in the memory 23 is set to "1".

By executing the above flow, the head 2 is positioned on the outermost track among the unrecorded tracks continuous from the inner circumference on the disk 1. or,
When the 50th track has been recorded, a display as shown in FIG. 11A is performed, and a warning is issued to the user.

Further, by executing the above-mentioned flow,
<11> The REC flag is set, indicating that the head 2 has been positioned on an unrecorded track for recording.

After the head is sent over an unrecorded track in accordance with the flow of FIG. 6, if the release switch is pressed, recording is performed as shown in S-8 in FIG.
Next, FIG. 8 shows a flow <B> executed when the REV switch is pressed. In FIG. 8, REV switch 2
When the release switch 21 is turned on in a state where 5 is pressed, the device does not perform any operation if there is no <0> track on the outer side of <32>, but if there is a <33> head 2
To the nearest "0" track on the outer peripheral side. <3
4> If it is determined that the track is unrecorded, <100> the number of the track is displayed on the display unit 12. If it is recorded, <35> the bit of the current track in the recorded track table To “1”, <36>,
In <37>, <34> to <37> are repeated until the current track becomes the first track or an unrecorded track is encountered. If the head 2 has reached the first track and the recording has been completed while repeating <34> to <37>, the flow shifts to <38>, and the track of “0” in the track table on the inner circumference side A search is made on the table in the memory 33 to determine whether or not there is any data, and if <40>, the head is sent to the closest track "0" in the track table; if not, <39> as shown in FIG. Display that all tracks have been recorded.

In this embodiment, from <37> to <34>
If the flow is branched to <32>, for example, as shown by the dotted line in FIG. 8, the <1> is written to the track in which "1" is already written in the track table. 34>, it is not necessary to determine whether or not recording has been performed by the determination circuit 31, so that the time required to move the head to an unrecorded track can be shortened.

Next, the flow of <C> branching in step S-4 shown in FIG. 6 will be described with reference to FIG.

In FIG. 9, when the release switch 21 is turned on while the FWD button is pressed (<41>),
<42> It is checked whether or not there is a track of "0" on the inner circumference side of the track position currently accessed by the head 2. If there is nothing, <43> is closest to the inner circumference side. Move to track 0 ". <44> The discrimination circuit 31 discriminates whether or not the track after the movement has been recorded. As a result, if the track has not been recorded, the flow proceeds to the above <E>. The current bit in the track table is set to “1”, and <46>
It is determined whether the current track position is the 50th track. As a result, if there are 50 tracks, <47> FIG.
As shown in (a), all-track recorded display is performed. If the track is not the 50th track, whether or not there is a “0” track on the inner peripheral side is again determined from the table of the memory 33 by the corresponding address. The track with "1" is searched, and if there is, the process proceeds to <43>, and if not, the process ends.

Next, a routine <D> executed when it is determined to be "Yes" in S-2 of FIG. 6 will be described with reference to FIG.
In this flow, a flow when the system is provided with a reproducing / erasing function will be described.

First, in <51>, a reproduction state is set. Such setting includes the switch SW1 shown in FIG.
May be switched to the B side, and the display unit 13 may display the track number currently accessed by the head 2.

That is, in the recording mode, <4> shown in FIG.
By executing <10>, for example, when all the tracks on the disk 1 have been recorded, the blinking display as shown in FIG. 11A is performed. The display is stopped and returns to the normal display.

Next, <52> it is determined whether the current head position is on the first track.
3> The head is moved to the outer circumference by one track, and <54> it is determined from the table in the memory 33 or the output of the determination circuit 31 whether the track has been recorded. <55> The bit of the current track in the recorded track table To “1”,
If the recording is not completed, it is determined again whether the current position of the head 2 is on one track, and this operation is continued until the first track is reached.

In the apparatus according to the present embodiment, when the disk is replaced or newly loaded as described in the flow chart of FIG. 7, each disk is sequentially read from the innermost track of the disk 1 until a recorded track is found. It is determined whether the track is unrecorded or recorded, and if it is recorded, "1" is set to each address of the table in the memory 33.

The flow indicated by <51> to <55> in FIG. 10 detects the presence or absence of recording on tracks from the track currently accessed by the head 2 to the first track. Therefore, according to the present embodiment, the disk 1
When the reproduction mode is set by the switch 29 after inserting the information, information on the presence or absence of recording of all the tracks on the disk 1 is written in the table in the memory 33, and the operation for the next mode, for example, the recording mode There is an effect that the operation at the time of switching to is quickly and promptly performed.

Next, when it is detected that the track is the first track in <53>, the switch SW1 is switched to the B side to start the reproduction operation, and the counting of the timer for setting the reproduction time is started. Next, if the <57> FWD switch 23 is pressed, the <58> head 2 is moved to the inner circumference by one track. If the <59> REV switch 25 has been pressed, the <60> head is moved to the outer circumference by one track.

In <58> and <60>, the head 2
Is moved, the display unit 12 displays the current access position of the head 2 as shown in FIG.

If the REV switch 25 is not turned on in <59>, the <100> mode switch 27
Is determined to be on, and if the result of this determination is that the mode switch 27 has not been turned on, it is determined whether the <65> playback mode has been released. Mode switch 27
If the switch is turned on, it is determined whether or not the <61> release switch 21 is turned on. If the switch is turned on, the switch SW1 is connected to the C side to instruct the erasing signal supply circuit 9 to start erasing. As shown in FIG. 11 (e), the 7-segment display for displaying the number of the track being accessed by the head 2 flashes twice to indicate the erasure, and <64> erases the data in the table in the memory 33. The address corresponding to the track is cleared to "0". In <65>, it is determined whether or not the release of the reproduction mode is instructed by the switch 29. When the release of the reproduction mode is instructed, the flow branches to <E> in FIG. If the switch 29 is not instructed to release the reproduction mode,
<90> The output of the timer circuit 40 is detected to determine whether the reproduction has continued for a predetermined time (for example, about 10 minutes). When the determination is made, <91> the power supply by the power supply unit 13 is stopped. . Here, it is preferable that the power supply unit 13 stops the power supply to components other than the system control circuit 10, and at least the power supply to the motor 3 or the reproduction signal processing circuit 8.

Next, in <92>, it is determined whether or not the switch 21 is turned on. If the switch 21 is turned on, the flow shifts to <56> again, and the reproducing operation is started. If the switch 21 is not turned on, <6
Similarly to the flow shown in <5>, it is determined whether or not the release of the reproduction mode is instructed in <93>. If there is no instruction, the flow branches to <92>. <E> if instructed
Branch to

According to the present embodiment, the reproduction operation is automatically stopped after a predetermined time elapses by the timer after the reproduction mode is set and the reproduction operation is started. If the capacity of the power supply is limited, it is particularly effective in saving power.

Further, in this embodiment, after the reproduction operation is automatically stopped by the timer, the reproduction operation is started again by turning on the release switch 21, so that a dedicated switch is not required for setting the reproduction mode.

In the present embodiment, when the reproduction mode is set by the switch 29, <5
Although the reproduction is started by executing the flow of 3> to <56>, the present invention is not limited to this. As shown by a dotted line in the figure, the detection of the ON of the <95> release switch 21 and the <97> switch 29 , The start of the reproducing operation can be controlled at an arbitrary timing.

Further, the switch for setting the erasing mode when erasing is set to the switch 27 for setting the recording mode, and the switch for actually executing the erasing is set to the switch 21, so that this embodiment is complicated. Further, there is an effect that various functions can be realized without increasing the number of switch operation members.

In the above-described embodiment, the through video apparatus shown in FIG. 1 has been disclosed as an erasing apparatus having at least one of the recording and reproducing functions and the erasing function. However, the present invention is not limited to such an apparatus. The present invention can be applied to other various devices.

In this embodiment, a setting means for setting an erasing operation at the time of erasing, setting mode conditions of the recording or reproducing operation at the time of recording or reproduction, and erasing at the time of erasing. The preparation operation is set, and mode switching for switching between the continuous recording mode and the single recording mode at the time of recording or reproduction is performed. However, the present invention is not limited to such a switch. The same applies to the case where the switch is also used as a switch for setting the mode conditions of other recording / reproducing operations when recording or reproducing.

The mode conditions of the recording or reproducing operation are not limited to the above-described continuous recording mode and single recording mode, but may be other conditions, such as setting of continuous recording speed and field recording mode as recording mode conditions. , The frame recording mode may be set.

In the present embodiment, a still video system is disclosed as an example. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and it is needless to say that the present invention can be applied to various other recording or reproducing apparatuses.

The storage means may be a tape-shaped storage medium other than the disk shown in this embodiment, or may be an optical disk or a solid-state memory.

[0059]

According to the present invention, since the reproducing mode is provided with the setting means for starting the reproducing operation by the recording / reproducing means in response to the selection, the reproduction is performed only by performing the setting by the setting means. Since the operation can be started, the reproduction operation can be started smoothly and easily when necessary. Further, since the reproduction operation is stopped when a predetermined time elapses while the image signal is being reproduced, power consumption required for the reproduction operation can be reduced. Furthermore, in a state where the recording mode is not set by the setting means in a state where the reproducing operation is stopped, since the stopped reproducing operation is recovered in response to the operation of the predetermined operation member, The playback operation can be smoothly recovered by a simple operation.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the device according to the embodiment of the present invention in a state where an exterior member is removed.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of an optical system of the apparatus according to the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is an external view of the apparatus of the present embodiment as viewed from the rear.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the apparatus of the present embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the apparatus according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the apparatus according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the apparatus according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the apparatus according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a display example of the display unit 12 shown in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2 Head 5 Head moving function 10 System control circuit 11 Operation unit 12 Display unit

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (58) Fields surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) H04N 5/765 H04N 5/225 H04N 5/781

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A recording / reproducing means for performing a recording operation and a reproducing operation of an image signal on a medium, a reproducing mode for starting a reproducing operation by the recording / reproducing means in response to a selection, and a recording mode according to a given recording trigger. Setting means for setting a recording mode for performing a recording operation, and a recording control means for causing the recording / reproducing means to execute a recording operation in response to a recording trigger given when the recording mode is set by the setting means; An auto-shut-off control unit for stopping the reproduction operation when a predetermined time has elapsed from the start of the reproduction operation in the reproduction mode; and a recording mode set by the setting unit in a state where the reproduction operation is stopped by the auto-shut-off control unit. In the state where is not set, the reproduction operation is recovered in response to the operation of the predetermined operation member. An electronic camera, characterized in that it comprises a recovery control means.