JP3167664B2 - Digital 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 camera, and more particularly to a digital camera for writing photographed image data into a storage memory in which, for example, an MS-DOS format is set.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In the MS-DOS format, a root directory area, FAT (File Allocation) is stored in a memory.
Table) An area and a data area are formed, and the data area is divided into a plurality of clusters. Data is discretely stored in units of clusters, and the link state of the clusters related to each other is managed by the FAT. Also, F
AT entry numbers (FAT entries) are managed by a root directory. Therefore, even when data is discretely stored, desired data can be read using the FAT entry written in the root directory as a clue.

In a conventional digital camera, photographed image data is recorded in a memory according to the MS-DOS format.

[0004]

However, MS-DOS
In the format, at the time of recording data, it is necessary to search for an empty cluster and to form a link each time data writing to one cluster is completed, so that it takes time to write data. For this reason, in the conventional digital camera, there is a problem that the time from when the shutter button is pressed once until the shutter button can be operated next time becomes long.

Therefore, a main object of the present invention is to provide a digital camera capable of increasing the number of images that can be taken per unit time.

[0006]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, a photographing instruction is issued.
Digital camera that shoots once every time the camera is given
In, store unit that stores photographed image data to the server Ffamemori, and photographing command from the previous image acquisition command
A digital camera comprising a writing unit for writing image data in a buffer memory to a storage memory according to a predetermined format when the image data is not given for a predetermined time or more . In the second invention, when a shooting instruction is given
Digital camera that shoots multiple times
And store the captured image data in the buffer memory
Storage means, and a plurality of storages when a predetermined number of shots are taken.
Image data in the buffer memory according to a predetermined format.
And writing means for writing to the storage memory.
This is a digital camera.

[0007]

When a shooting command is given, a plurality of shootings are performed. Image data obtained by each shooting is temporarily stored in the buffer memory . Predetermined multiple times
Is taken, the image data in the buffer memory is
It is written to the storage memory in accordance with a predetermined format.

[0008]

According to these inventions, a photographed image
Due to the data to be temporarily stored in the buffer memory, it is possible to shorten the distance from the shooting to the next shooting. That is, the number of images to be photographed per unit time can be increased.

The above objects, other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of embodiments with reference to the drawings.

[0010]

Referring to FIG. 1, a digital camera 10 of this embodiment includes a lens 12, and a light image incident from the lens 12 is converted into an electric signal by a CCD imager 14. The CCD imager 14 has a complementary color filter, for example, and outputs an electric signal (progressive scan signal) for each pixel according to progressive scan (pixel sequential scan).

The progressive scan signal from the CCD imager 14 is applied to a CDS / AGC circuit 16. The CDS / AGC circuit 16 includes the CCD imager 14
A known noise elimination and level adjustment are applied to the progressive scan signal from the CDS / AGC circuit 16.
The progressive scan signal processed by
The data is converted into digital data (image data) by the / D converter 18. The signal processing circuit 20 performs well-known white balance adjustment and gamma correction on the image data output from the A / D converter 18.

When the shutter button 38 is pressed by the operator, the system controller 36 provides a control signal to the CPU 28 via the interrupt terminal 28a. Therefore, when the CCD imager 14 outputs the progressive scan signal for one frame after the shutter button 40 is pressed, the CPU 28 disables the CCD imager 14. As a result, the image data (captured image data) for one captured frame is output from the signal processing circuit 20 and supplied to the DRAM 24 via the bus 22. The captured image data is stored in the memory control circuit 2
6, that is, written to the memory area 24a by DMA (Direct Memory Access).

The CPU 28 compresses the photographed image data in the memory area 24a in a JPEG format using the work area 24b. The CPU 28 sequentially stores the compressed data in the second buffer area 24c having the memory capacity of one cluster, and when the second buffer area 24c becomes full, the compressed data in the second buffer area 24c is stored in the memory card shown in FIG. Then, the process moves to the first buffer area 34d of FIG. As can be seen from FIG. 2, the first buffer area 34d is divided into clusters, and the compressed data of one cluster read from the second buffer area 24c starts from the first cluster D0 of the first buffer area 34d. Written in order. The number of clusters required to store one captured image data is a maximum of 10, and 100 clusters are prepared in the first buffer area 34d.

When the operator has finished photographing the desired number of images, the CPU 28 writes the compressed data stored in the first buffer area into the data area 34c according to the MS-DOS format. That is, the CPU 28 stores the data area 3
A free cluster is searched from 4c, compressed data for one cluster is written in the found free cluster, and the link state is recorded in the FAT area 34a. The CPU 28 also writes the FAT entry in the root directory area 34b. Therefore, the compressed data is recorded in the data area 34c as shown in FIG.

When the continuous shooting mode is set by the mode switching button 40, the CPU 28 stores the compressed data of ten frames in the first buffer area 34d at the time when ten shots are taken. At this point, the compressed data is stored in the data area 3 according to the MS-DOS format.
4c. The continuous shooting mode is the shutter button 38
In this mode, the CCD imager 14 outputs a progressive scan signal for one frame, for example, every 0.5 seconds in this mode.

On the other hand, when the normal shooting mode is set by the mode switching button 40, the CPU 28 shoots once each time the shutter button 38 is pressed, and
One piece of compressed data obtained in step 24 is stored in the first buffer area 34d. If the shutter button 38 has not been pressed for 3 seconds or more since the last time the shutter button 38 was pressed, it is determined that the desired number of images have been shot, and the compressed data in the first buffer area 34d is stored in the data according to the MS-DOS format. Write to area 34c.

As described above, the compressed data is held in the first buffer area 34d until the desired number of shots is completed, and it is not necessary to search for an empty cluster or form a link when writing to the first buffer area. Therefore, the time for writing one piece of compressed data can be reduced. That is, the time interval from the previous shooting to the current shooting can be shortened, and the number of images that can be shot per unit time can be increased.

The CPU 28 specifically processes the flowcharts shown in FIGS. That is, the CPU 28 first determines whether or not the shutter button 38 has been turned on in step S1. Then, when the shutter button 38 is pressed,
The CPU 28 initializes the storage cluster number in step S3, and sets the number of storage clusters to “1” in step S5. The storage cluster is a cluster in which compressed data is stored or compressed data is already stored, and the storage cluster numbers are D0, D1,
D2...

Next, the CPU 28 determines in step S7 that the predetermined
A compression process is performed on the captured image data of four pixels (eight pixels vertically and eight pixels horizontally), and the compressed data is stored in the second buffer area 24c in step S9. Subsequently, in step S11, the CPU 28 determines whether or not uncompressed data still remains, that is, whether or not there is still captured image data that has not been subjected to compression processing. If the captured image data in the memory area 24a is completely compressed, the CPU 28 sets the flag 28b in step S15, and proceeds to step S17. On the other hand, if photographed image data that has not been subjected to the compression processing still remains in the memory area 24a, the CPU 28
Determines in step S13 whether the second buffer area 24c is full. If "NO", the process returns to step S7 to repeat the above-described operation. If "YES", the process proceeds to step S17.

In step S17, the CPU 28 writes the compressed data of the second buffer area 24c in the cluster provided in the first buffer area 34d and indicated by the storage cluster number, and then checks whether the flag 28b is set in step S19. to decide. If the flag 28b is not set, it is determined that the photographed image data to be subjected to the compression process still remains, and the storage cluster number and the storage cluster number are incremented in each of steps S21 and S23, and the process returns to step S7. On the other hand, the flag 2
If 8b is set, compression of one shot image data is completed, and all the compressed data is stored in the first buffer area 34.
d, the flag 28 is set in step S25.
b is reset, and in step S27, the current photographed image number and the number of stored clusters are associated with each other in a table 28c.
Write to. As shown in FIG. 4, the photographed image numbers are “1”, “2”, “3”,.
The number of clusters required to store the compressed data of each captured image is associated with each captured image number. In the example of FIG. 4, four clusters are required to store the compressed data of the captured image number “1”, and seven clusters are required to store the compressed data of the captured image number “2”. Storing the compressed data of the image number “3” requires five clusters.

Upon completion of the process in step S27, the CPU
28 is a step S29 in which 1 is referred to by referring to the number of stored clusters.
It is determined whether zero images have been captured. The maximum number of clusters storing compressed data of one image is 10, and the number of clusters secured in the first buffer area 34d of the memory card 34 is 100. Transfer data to the first buffer area 34
d may not be stored. In continuous shooting mode,
The number of images captured by one shutter operation is ten. For this reason, it is determined whether or not ten images have been shot in step S29. If "YES", the operation of the shutter button 38 is invalidated, and the compressed data in the first buffer area is deleted in step S37 and subsequent steps. Write to the data area 34c according to the MS-DOS format.

On the other hand, if "NO" in the step S29, the CPU 28 determines in a step S31 whether or not the current mode is the continuous shooting mode. If "YES", the process returns to step S5 to process the image to be shot next time. The storage cluster number returns to “1”, while the storage cluster number is not initialized.
At 17, the next compressed data is written following the compressed data obtained by the current shooting. That is, in FIG. 2, when the compressed data is written to the clusters D0 to D3 in accordance with the current shooting, the compressed data obtained next time is written to the cluster D4 and thereafter.

If "NO" is determined in the step S31, the current mode is the normal photographing mode.
It is determined at step S33 whether three seconds have elapsed since the last time the shutter button 38 was operated. Where "Y
If “ES”, it is determined that the desired number of images have been captured, and the process proceeds to step S37. If “NO”, the process proceeds to step S3.
At 5, it is determined whether or not the shutter button 38 has been pressed.
Then, the processes of steps S33 and S35 are repeated for three seconds unless the shutter button 38 is pressed.
If the shutter button 38 is pressed within three seconds, the CPU 2
8 returns to step S5 and repeats the above processing.

In step S37, the CPU 28 advances the current address to "002" in the FAT area 34a and sets the address to be moved next time to "001".
FATC is the current address, and FATS is the destination address. Subsequently, the CPU 28 initializes the address and the storage cluster number of the table 28c in steps S38 and S39, sets the number of storage clusters to "1" in step S41, and increments the FATS in step S43. In step S45, F
It is determined whether the ATS data is “000H”, that is, whether the cluster corresponding to the destination table is an empty cluster, and if “NO”, the process proceeds to step S43.
Returns to and increments the FATS again.
If “S”, it is determined in step S47 whether or not the current number of storage clusters is “1.” If “YES” here, the CPU 28 sets the current FATS as a directory entry in step S51, and proceeds to step S53. .

In the example of FIG. 5, the address of the FAT corresponding to the first cluster in which the compressed data is stored is "00".
2 "," 042 "," 04E "," 04F "," 05
0 "," 06A "," 068 ", and" 066 ", the respective data are written to the root directory, whereas if" NO "is determined in the step S47, the CPU 28 determines in step S49 the destination. Address F
The ATS is written in association with the current address FATC, and the current address is advanced to FATS in step S53. Then, in step S55, the compressed data corresponding to the current storage cluster number is written to the cluster corresponding to the current address. Referring to FIG. 5, the current address is, for example, "040".
If so, the compressed data is written to the cluster at address "049".

In the step S57, it is determined whether or not the current number of storage clusters exceeds the number of storage clusters written at the current address of the table 28c. If "NO" here, it is determined that the processing of the current photographed image has not been completed, and the storage cluster number and the storage cluster number are incremented in steps S59 and S61, respectively, and step S4 is performed.
Return to 3. Therefore, the F corresponding to the empty cluster again
The address of the AT is searched, and the remaining compressed data is written. On the other hand, if “YES” is determined in the step S57, the CPU 28 writes “FFFH” indicating the end marker in the current address of the FAT in a step S63,
Thereafter, in step S65, it is determined whether or not the writing of all the captured compressed data into the data area 34c has been completed. If “YES”, the process ends, but “N
If "O", the storage cluster number and the address of the table 28c are incremented in each of steps S67 and S69, and the process returns to step S41. Thereby, the same processing as described above is performed on the next captured image.

The digital camera according to the present invention includes:
In addition to a so-called digital still camera that records only a still image, a video movie having a function of recording a still image is also included. As the memory card, any memory card such as a compact flash, a smart media (SSFDC), a miniature card, a PC card, and a small PC card can be used. Further, a floppy disk may be used as the external memory in addition to the memory card. Further, in this embodiment, the first buffer area is formed on the memory card and the second buffer area is formed on the DRAM provided in the camera body. However, both buffer areas are formed on either the memory card or the DRAM. It may be collected on one side. Further, as a memory for recording image data in accordance with the MS-DOS format, a nonvolatile RAM previously mounted in the camera body may be used in addition to an external memory card.

In this embodiment, the compressed data is recorded in the data area when the shutter button is not operated for more than 3 seconds from the previous shutter operation in the normal photographing mode. , The compressed data may be recorded in the data area. In this case, a write command button is added to FIG. 1 and a step is provided between steps S33 and S35 to determine whether the write command button has been pressed. If “NO”, the process proceeds to step S35 ,
If "YES", it is necessary to proceed to step S37. Further, if an indicator indicating the storage state of the first buffer area is provided on the camera body, it becomes a guide for the operation of the operator.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an illustrative view showing an internal structure of a memory card;

FIG. 3 is an illustrative view showing an internal structure of a memory card;

FIG. 4 is an illustrative view showing a table formed in a CPU;

FIG. 5 is an illustrative view showing a data structure of an MS-DOS format;

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a part of the operation of the embodiment in FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing another portion of the operation of the embodiment in FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing another part of the operation of the embodiment in FIG. 1;

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing yet another portion of the operation of the embodiment in FIG. 1;

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 Digital camera 24 DRAM 28 CPU 34 Memory card

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. Each time a photographing instruction is given, one photographing is performed.
In Nau digital camera, store unit that stores photographed image data to the server Ffamemori, and the photographing instruction is away from the imaging command of the previous
A digital camera, comprising: a writing unit that writes the image data in the buffer memory to a storage memory according to a predetermined format when the image data is not given for a predetermined time or more . 2. When a photographing command is given, a predetermined number of photographing operations are performed.
In a digital camera that performs shadowing , storing captured image data in a buffer memory
Means, and before the predetermined plurality of shootings have been performed.
The image data in the buffer memory in a predetermined format.
Writing means for writing to the storage memory according to the
A digital camera, characterized in that: