JP3495608B2 - 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 for recording an image photographed by an image pickup device such as a CCD (solid-state image pickup device) on a recording medium as digital data.
In particular, a digital device that can be connected to an image output device such as a printer and can display an image recorded on a recording medium on an image display device such as an LCD (liquid crystal display) and output to the image output device. The present invention relates to a digital camera such as a still camera.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there is a digital still camera to which an image output device such as a printer can be connected and which can display an image recorded on a recording medium on an LCD and output the image to the image output device. Are known. For example,
In the digital still camera (4) shown in FIG. 5, when the user presses the shutter button (not shown), the image data of the image taken by the CCD (41) having the pixel number of 1280 × 960 is processed by the image processing. After being supplied to the circuit (42) and converted into digital data, JPEG (Joi
nt Photographic Coding Experts Group) method, and the compressed data obtained by this is ASIC.
It is written in the IC card (43) via (40).

Further, in order for the user to print the image written in the IC card (43) by the printer (3),
When the video input terminal (31) of the AV cable (30) to which the printer (3) is connected is connected to the video output terminal (50) of the digital still camera (4) and the playback mode key (46) is pressed, the system The control circuit (45) detects this,
A playback mode command is issued to the CPU (47) and ASIC (40). The CPU (47) and the ASIC (40) receive the reproduction mode command, read the compressed data written in the IC card (43), and temporarily read the read compressed data into the SDR.
Write to AM (44). Then, CPU (47) and ASIC (4
0) reads the compressed data written in the SDRAM (44), expands the read compressed data, and is composed of a Y signal (luminance signal) and a C signal (color signal) as shown in FIG.
Original image data for 0 × 960 pixels is created, and the original image data is written in the SDRAM (44). And CPU (47)
Converts the original image data into video data of 576 × 440 pixels as shown in FIG.
Write to M (44).

The video data written in the SDRAM (44) is read again by the ASIC (40) and input to the input end of the image signal line (51). The video data input to the input end of the image signal line (51) remains as it is.
And is supplied to the LCD driver (48). The LCD driver (48) performs processing for reducing the vertical resolution by half to the supplied video data of 576 × 440 pixels, and deletes the video data of the outer peripheral portions in the vertical and horizontal directions. After processing, R for 521 × 218 pixels
GB data is created and the RGB data is supplied to the LCD (49). As a result, the image written in the IC card (43) is displayed on the LCD (49) as shown in FIG. 6 (c). Here, since the number of pixels obtained by subjecting the video data of 576 × 440 pixels to the processing for reducing the vertical resolution by half is 576 × 220, it is deleted by the LCD driver (48). The number of pixels in the peripheral portion is small. Therefore, the LCD (49) has an IC card (4
The entire image (still image) written in 3) is displayed.

The video data input to the input end of the image signal line (51) is directly supplied to the printer (3) via the image signal line (51), the video output terminal (50) and the AV cable (30). To be done. As a result, the image written in the IC card (43) is printed by the printer (3) as shown in FIG. 6 (d).

[0006]

In the above conventional digital still camera (4), the ASIC (40) has only one image signal output terminal (not shown), and at the same time, a plurality of types of video data can be obtained. Cannot be output, so the number of pixels of the LCD (49) is 521 × 21 by the CPU (47).
Video data for 576 x 440 pixels according to 8 is created, and the video data is output from the common image signal output terminal through the image signal line (51) to the LCD driver (48) and the printer.
It will be supplied to (3). However, the number of pixels of the printer (3) (for example, 640 × 480) is generally larger than the number of pixels of the LCD (49) mounted on the digital still camera (4) (for example, 521 × 218).
The image printed by (3) has a problem that a black frame is formed around the image as shown in FIG. 6 (d).

Therefore, in order to prevent a black frame from being formed around the image printed by the printer (3),
640 with the same number of pixels as the printer (3) by the CPU (47)
A configuration may be considered in which video data of × 480 pixels is created and the video data is supplied to the LCD driver (48) and the printer (3). However, in this case 640 × 4
80 pixels of video data with a vertical resolution of 1 /
The number of pixels obtained by performing the processing for reducing the number of pixels by a factor of 640 is 640.
Since it is × 240, the number of pixels in the outer peripheral portion deleted by the LCD driver (48) is large, and the LCD (49) has a wide range in the outer peripheral portion of the image written in the IC card (43). As shown by the broken line in FIG. 7, it will not be displayed on the LCD (49). An object of the present invention is to display an entire image recorded on a recording medium such as an IC card on an image display device such as an LCD, and still to display an image of a printer or the like having a larger image output size than the image display device. To provide a digital camera in which a black frame is not formed around an image output by the image output device even when the output device is connected.

[0008]

A digital camera according to the present invention can be connected to an image output device and records an image pickup device and an image photographed by the image pickup device as digital data on a recording medium. 1 information processing means, an image display device for displaying an image recorded on a recording medium, an image recorded on the recording medium is read in response to a reproduction operation by a user, and the read image is subjected to size conversion processing. The second information processing means for outputting the image obtained thereby to the image output device and the image display device from the common signal output terminal. And in the characteristic configuration
There are, the second information processing means, first mode and the image output size of the image an image output device read from the recording medium to convert the read image from the recording medium to a size corresponding to the image output size of the image display device a can switch set between the second mode to convert to a size corresponding to the front
In the second mode, the signal is output from the common signal output terminal.
Image is supplied to the image output device and image display device
The image display device is provided with a peripheral portion of the supplied image.
According to the image output size of the device.
Create an image of different size and display it on the image display surface.

In the digital camera according to the present invention,
As the image output device, for example, a printer having an image output size larger than that of the image display device is connected to the camera body. In the digital camera, the second information processing means reads out the image recorded on the recording medium according to the reproducing operation by the user. And the second information processing means
When the first mode is set, the read image is converted into a size corresponding to the image output size of the image display device and output from the signal output terminal. In this way the signal output end
The image output from the child is supplied to the image display device, and as a result, the image recorded on the recording medium is displayed on the image display device. Here, since the image display device is supplied with the image having the size corresponding to the image output size of the image display device as described above, the entire image recorded on the recording medium is displayed.

On the other hand, when the second information processing means is set in the second mode, the second information processing means converts the read image into a size corresponding to the image output size of the printer and outputs the converted image to the signal output terminal.
To output. In this way, it was output from the signal output terminal
The image is supplied to the printer, and as a result, the image recorded on the recording medium is printed. Here, since an image of a size corresponding to the image output size of the printer is supplied to the printer as described above, a black frame is not formed around the printed image as in the conventional digital camera. . Also output from the signal output terminal
The formed image is supplied to the image display device. Image display device
The image is processed by removing the outer edge of the image.
Create an image of the size corresponding to the image output size of the device
And display it on the image display surface. In this way, the image display
The image recorded on the recording medium is
However, the outer peripheral portion is cut off and displayed.

In the first specific configuration of the digital camera according to the present invention, the determining means for determining whether or not the image output device is connected, and the determining means for determining that the image output device is not connected. And a mode setting means for setting the second information processing means to the second mode when it is determined that the second information processing means is connected. .

In the specific configuration, when the printer is not connected to the camera body, the determining unit determines that the printer is not connected, and the second information processing unit causes the mode setting unit to set the first mode. On the other hand, the user connects the printer to the camera body when the user wants the printer to print an image recorded on the recording medium. As a result, the determination means determines that the printer is connected, and the second information processing means is set to the second mode by the mode setting means.

Specifically, the judging means judges whether or not the image output device is connected by the switch device which is turned on when the image output device is connected and the on / off state of the switch device. And an on / off judging means for turning on / off.

In the concrete structure, the switch means is on when the image output device is connected, and the on / off judging means recognizes this on state and the image output device is connected. Judge that it has been done. on the other hand,
When the image output device is not connected, the switch means is off, and the on / off determination means recognizes this off state and determines that the image output device is not connected.

Further, in the second concrete configuration of the digital camera according to the present invention, the judging means for judging whether or not the power of the image display device is turned on, and the power is turned on by the judging means. If it is determined that the second
While setting the information processing means to the first mode, when it is determined that the information processing means is not turned on, the second information processing means is set to the second mode.
And a mode setting means for setting the mode.

In the specific configuration, the user turns on the image display device when displaying the image recorded on the recording medium on the image display device. As a result, the determination means determines that the power is turned on, and the second
The information processing means is set to the first mode by the mode setting means. On the other hand, when the power of the image display device is not turned on, the determination means determines that the power is not turned on, and the second information processing means is set to the second mode by the mode setting means. .

Furthermore, the third aspect of the digital camera according to the present invention.
In the concrete configuration of the above, the operating means for setting the second information processing means to either the first mode or the second mode is provided. In the concrete configuration, the second
The information processing means is set to the first mode or the second mode by the user operating the operation means.

[0018]

According to the digital camera of the present invention,
In the first mode of the second information processing means, the entire image recorded on the recording medium is displayed on the image display device, and in the second mode, the image recorded on the recording medium has a black frame around it. It is output by the image output device without being formed.

[0019]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments in which the present invention is applied to a digital still camera will be specifically described below with reference to the drawings. The digital still camera (1) according to the present invention is provided with an AV cable (3
(0), and when the user presses the shutter button, the shooting mode in which the image taken by the CCD at that time is written in the IC card and the image written in the IC card is displayed on the LCD. It is possible to set a reproduction mode that enables output as well as output to an image output device.

In the above digital still camera (1), as shown in FIG. 1, for example, a CCD (11) having a pixel number of 1280 × 960, an image processing circuit (12) and an ASIC (A
pplication specific ICs (10) are connected in series. The ASIC (10) has one image signal output terminal (not shown), and the image signal line (22) extends from the image signal output terminal. The image signal line (22) is branched and extended midway, and one end is connected to the LCD driver (18),
At the output end of the LCD driver (18), for example, 521 × 2
An LCD (19) having 18 pixels (image output size) is connected. The digital still camera (1) is
It comprises a video output section (20) to which the video input section (31) of the V cable (30) should be connected, and the other end of the image signal line (22) is connected to the video output section (20). .

The ASIC (10) has, via the system control circuit (15), a shooting mode key (16a) to be operated when setting the shooting mode, and a playback mode key to be operated when setting the playback mode. (16b) and shutter button
(Not shown) is connected. Also, the ASIC (10) has
An IC card (13) for writing an image taken by the CCD (11) when the shutter button is pressed, and a pixel number conversion processing operation (size conversion processing operation) described below C
A PU (17) and an SDRAM (14) for writing data during the conversion process are connected. The CPU (17) has
A first parameter corresponding to the number of pixels of the LCD (19), for example, 521 × 218, and a second parameter corresponding to the number of pixels of the image output device, for example, 640 × 480 are set in advance, and the CPU (17) Selects either the first parameter or the second parameter according to a selection command described later, and performs the pixel number conversion processing operation based on the selected parameter.

Further, the above-mentioned video output unit (20) according to the present invention.
Comprises a switch (21), which is connected to the system control circuit (15). When the video input section (31) of the AV cable (30) is not connected to the video output section (20), the switch (21) is off, and the system control circuit (15) recognizes this off state. Then, the off signal is supplied to the CPU (17) and the ASIC (10). Upon receiving the OFF signal, the CPU (17) and the ASIC (10) issue a first selection command to select the first parameter according to the number of pixels of the LCD (19). On the other hand, when the video output section (20) is connected to the video input section (31) of the AV cable (30) as shown by the broken line in FIG. 1, the switch (21) is turned on and the system control circuit (15) is turned on. ) Recognizes this ON state and sends an ON signal to the CPU (17) and ASIC (10).
Supply to. Upon receiving the ON signal, the CPU (17) and the ASIC (10) issue a second selection command to select the second parameter according to the number of pixels of the image output device.

In the digital still camera (1), when the user depresses the photographing mode key (16a), the system control circuit (15) detects this and the ASI
A shooting mode command is issued to C (10). As a result, the shooting mode is set. In this way, when the user sets the camera (1) to the shooting mode and then presses the shutter button, the image data of the image taken by the CCD (11) is supplied to the image processing circuit (12) and digitally supplied. After being converted into data, it is compressed by JPEG method, and the compressed data obtained by this is an IC card (13).
Written in.

Further, in order for the user to display the image written in the IC card (13) on the LCD (19), the video output unit
If the playback mode key (16b) is pressed while the video input section (31) of the AV cable (30) is not connected to (20),
The system control circuit (15) detects this and
A playback mode command is issued to PU (17) and ASIC (10). At this time, the switch (21) of the video output section (20) is off, and the system control circuit (15) is
Recognizing this off state, the off signal is sent to the CPU (17) and A
Supply to SIC (10). CPU (17) and ASIC (10)
In response to the reproduction mode command, the compressed data for 1280 × 960 pixels is read from the IC card (13) and the read compressed data is once written to the SDRAM (14).
Subsequently, the CPU (17) and the ASIC (10) are connected to the SDRAM (1
The compressed data written in 4) is read, the read compressed data is subjected to decompression processing, and the original of 1280 × 960 pixels composed of Y signal (luminance signal) and C signal (color signal) as shown in FIG. After creating the image data,
Write to DRAM (14). Also, CPU (17) and ASIC
(10) receives the OFF signal and issues a first selection command.

The CPU (17) converts the number of pixels into original image data based on the first parameter in response to the first selection command.
(Size conversion processing) is performed and 576 x 4 as shown in Fig. 3 (b).
Video data for 40 pixels is created and the video data is written to the SDRAM (14). And ASIC (10)
The video data created by the CPU (17) is read from the SDRAM (14), and the read video data is read by the image signal line (22).
Input at the input end of. The video data of 576 × 440 pixels input to the input end of the image signal line (22) in this way is directly passed through the image signal line (22) and the LCD driver (18).
The LCD driver (18) performs a process of reducing the vertical resolution by a factor of 2 on the supplied video data, and a process of deleting the video data of the outer peripheral parts in the vertical and horizontal directions. Then, the RGB data for 521 × 218 pixels is created and the RGB data is supplied to the LCD (19). As a result, the image shown in FIG. 3C is displayed on the LCD (19). Where 576 x 440
The number of pixels obtained by subjecting the video data for pixels to the processing for reducing the vertical resolution by half is 576 × 2.
Since it is 20, the number of pixels in the outer peripheral portion deleted by the LCD driver (18) is small. Therefore, the LCD (19)
The entire image (still image) written in the IC card (13) is displayed.

On the other hand, in order for the user to print the image written in the IC card (13) by the printer (3), the printer (3) having the number of pixels (image output size) of, for example, 640 × 480 is connected. The video input section (31) of the AV cable (30) is connected to the video output section (2) as shown by the broken line in FIG.
If you press the play mode key (16b) after connecting to (0),
The system control circuit (15) detects this and
A playback mode command is issued to PU (17) and ASIC (10). The switch (21) of the video output unit (20) is turned on when the video input unit (31) of the AV cable (30) is connected, and the system control circuit (15) recognizes this on state. The ON signal to the CPU (17) and ASIC
Supply to (10). The CPU (17) and the ASIC (10) receive the reproduction mode command, and then the IC card (13) outputs 1280
The compressed data for x960 pixels is read, and the read compressed data is once written in the SDRAM (14). continue,
The CPU (17) and the ASIC (10) read the compressed data written in the SDRAM (14), perform decompression processing on the read compressed data, and are composed of Y signals (luminance signals) and C signals (color signals). After creating original image data for 1280 × 960 pixels as shown in FIG.
Write to M (14). Also, CPU (17) and ASIC (10)
Receives the ON signal and issues a second selection command.

The CPU (17) converts the number of pixels into the original image data based on the second parameter in response to the second selection command.
(Size conversion processing) is performed and 640x4 as shown in Fig. 4 (b).
Video data for 80 pixels is created and the video data is written to the SDRAM (14). And ASIC (10)
The video data created by the CPU (17) is read from the SDRAM (14), and the read video data is read by the image signal line (22).
Input at the input end of. In this way, the video data of 640 × 480 pixels input to the input end of the image signal line (22) is directly input to the image signal line (22), the video output unit (20) and the A
It is supplied to the printer (30) through the V cable (30). As a result, the image written in the IC card (13) is printed by the printer (30) as shown in FIG. 4 (c). Here, since the video data for 640 × 480 pixels, which is the same as the number of pixels of the printer (30), is supplied to the printer (30) as described above, the surroundings of the image as in the conventional case shown in FIG. No black frame is formed on the.

The video data for 640 × 480 pixels input to the input end of the image signal line (22) is LC as it is.
The supplied video data is supplied to the D driver (18), and the supplied video data is subjected to the same resolution lowering process and data deleting process as described above, and RGB of 521 × 218 pixels is supplied.
Data is created and the RGB data is supplied to the LCD (19). As a result, an image as shown by the solid line in FIG. 4 (c) is displayed on the LCD (19). Where 640x4
80 pixels of video data with a vertical resolution of 1 /
The number of pixels obtained by performing the processing for reducing the number of pixels by a factor of 640 is 640.
Since it is × 240, the number of pixels in the outer peripheral portion deleted by the LCD driver 18 is large. Therefore, IC card (13)
The wide range of the outer peripheral portion of the image written in the area is not displayed on the LCD (19) as indicated by the broken line in the figure.

FIG. 2 shows an image reproducing procedure by the CPU (17) and the ASIC (10) in the reproducing mode. First, in step S1, it is determined whether or not the reproduction mode key (16b) has been pressed. If the determination is Yes, the process proceeds to step S3, and if the determination is No. , Move to step S2, and press the shooting mode key
It is determined whether or not (16a) is pressed. If YES is determined in step S2, the shooting mode is set, and if NO is determined, the process returns to step S1.

In step S3, it is determined whether or not the image to be reproduced next is the same as the image reproduced last time, and if the result is YES, the process proceeds to step S5. on the other hand,
If it is determined NO in step S3, step S3
4, the compressed data for 1280 × 960 pixels is read from the IC card (13), the read compressed data is written to the SDRAM (14), and then the process proceeds to step S5. In step S5, it is determined whether or not the power switch of the LCD (19) is set to ON, and if the result is YES, the process proceeds to step S6 and the signal supplied from the system control circuit (15). Is an ON signal. If the video input section (31) of the AV cable (30) is not connected to the video output section (20),
If it is determined to be no, the process proceeds to step S7.

In step S7, the compressed data is read from the SDRAM (14), the read compressed data is expanded, and original image data for 1280 × 960 pixels as shown in FIG. 3A is created. Image data to SDRAM (14)
Write in. Subsequently, in step S8 of FIG. 2, pixel number conversion processing is performed according to the first selection command to create video data of 576 × 440 pixels as shown in FIG. 3B, and the video data is converted to SDRAM ( Write in 14). Then, in step S9 of FIG. 2, the video data is read from the SDRAM (14), and the read video data is transferred to the image signal line (2
Input to the input end of 2) and return to step S1. As a result, as shown in FIG. 3 (c), the IC card (13) is displayed on the LCD (19).
Almost the entire image written in is displayed.

On the other hand, when the power switch of the LCD (19) is off and it is determined as NO in step S5 of FIG. 2, and when the user outputs the video of the AV cable (30) to the video output section (20). When the input part (31) is connected and it is determined to be YES in step S6, the process proceeds to step S10.

In step S10, the compressed data is read from the SDRAM (14), the read compressed data is decompressed to create original image data for 1280 × 960 pixels as shown in FIG. Image data can be transferred to SDRAM (1
Write to 4). Succeedingly, in a step S11 of FIG. 2, a pixel number conversion process according to the second selection command is performed, and
Video data for 640 × 480 pixels as shown in (b) is created, and the video data is written in the SDRAM (14). Then, in step S12 of FIG. 2, the video data is read from the SDRAM (14), the read video data is input to the input end of the image signal line (22), and the process returns to step S1.
As a result, the image written in the IC card 13 is printed by the printer 30 without forming a black frame around the image as shown in FIG. 4C.
On the LCD (19), the image written in the IC card (13) is cut out and displayed in a wide outer peripheral area as shown by the broken line in FIG. 4 (c).

In the digital still camera (1) according to the present invention, when the image written in the IC card (13) is to be printed by the printer (3), the printer
Video input part (31) of AV cable (30) to which (3) is connected
If is connected to the video output section (20), the printer (3)
As described above, the number of pixels of the printer (3) is the same as 640 × 48.
Video data for 0 pixels is supplied. As a result, IC
The image written on the card (13) is printed by the printer (3) without forming a black frame around the image. On the other hand, when the image written in the IC card (13) is not displayed on the LCD (19), the video output unit (20) is not connected to the video input unit (31) of the AV cable (30). Then, if the power switch of the LCD (19) is set to ON, the LCD driver (18) will display the LC
Video data for 576 × 440 pixels corresponding to the number of pixels of D (19) is supplied. As a result, the LCD (19) has an IC
The entire image written on the card (13) is displayed.

The configuration of each part of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made within the technical scope described in the claims. In the above embodiment, the LCD
A configuration for switching the size of video data to be created by the CPU (17) based on both the ON / OFF state of the power switch of (19) and the ON / OFF state of the switch (21) of the video output unit (20) However, it is also possible to adopt a configuration in which switching is performed based on either state.
For example, when switching the size based only on the on / off state of the power switch of the LCD (19), when the power switch of the LCD (19) is on, the size according to the LCD (19) is selected while When the switch is off, the printer
A configuration for selecting a size according to (3) is adopted. or,
It is also possible to employ a configuration in which a manual switch is provided instead of the switch (21) of the video output unit (20) and the size of the video data to be created by the CPU (17) is switched by the manual switch.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a circuit configuration of a digital still camera of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an image reproduction procedure in a reproduction mode.

FIG. 3 shows the video output section of the digital still camera A
It is a schematic diagram showing the change of the image data when not connected to the video input part of the V cable.

FIG. 4 shows the video output section of the digital still camera A
It is a schematic diagram showing the change of the image data when the video input part of the V cable is connected.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a circuit configuration of a conventional digital still camera.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing changes in image data in the digital still camera.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an image displayed on the LCD when video data for the same number of pixels as the printer is supplied to the LCD.

[Explanation of symbols]

(1) Digital still camera (10) ASIC (11) CCD (12) Image processing circuit (13) ID card (14) SDRAM (15) System control circuit (16b) Playback mode key (17) CPU (18) LCD driver (19) LCD (20) Video output section (21) Switch (22) Image signal line

Front page continued (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ identification code FI H04N 5/93 (58) Fields investigated (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) H04N 5/225 H04N 5/76-5/775 H04N 5 / 91-5/956

Claims (5)

(57) [Claims] 1. An image output device is connectable, an image pickup device, first information processing means for recording an image photographed by the image pickup device as digital data in a recording medium, and the first information processing means recorded in the recording medium. The image display device that displays the displayed image and the image recorded on the recording medium according to the user's reproduction operation are read, the read image is subjected to size conversion processing, and the image obtained by this is output to a common signal output terminal. A digital camera having a second information processing means for outputting the image from the image output device to the image display device, wherein the second information processing means has a size corresponding to the image output size of the image display device for the image read from the recording medium. Between the first mode in which the image is read from the recording medium and the second mode in which the image read from the recording medium is converted into a size corresponding to the image output size of the image output device. In a possible switching settings, the
In the second mode, the signal is output from the common signal output terminal.
The image is supplied to the image output device and displayed on the image display device.
The image display device is supplied with the outer peripheral portion of the supplied image.
Deletion processing is performed and the image output size of the device is adjusted.
A digital camera characterized by creating a size image and displaying it on the image display surface . 2. A judgment means for judging whether or not an image output device is connected, and when the judgment means judges that the image output device is not connected, the second information processing means is set to the first mode. The digital camera according to claim 1, further comprising a mode setting unit that sets the second information processing unit to a second mode when it is determined that the second information processing unit is connected. 3. The judging means judges whether or not the image output device is connected by a switch device that is turned on when the image output device is connected and an on / off state of the switch device. The digital camera according to claim 2, wherein the digital camera comprises an off determination means. 4. A judgment means for judging whether or not the power supply of the image display device is turned on, and when the judgment means judges that the power supply is turned on, the second information processing means is set to the first mode. The digital camera according to claim 1, further comprising: a mode setting unit that sets the second information processing unit to a second mode when it is determined that the second information processing unit is not turned on. 5. The digital camera according to claim 1, further comprising operation means for setting the second information processing means to either the first mode or the second mode.