JP3520006B2 - 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 which records an image photographed by an image pickup device as digital data on a recording medium.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an image picked up by an image pickup device such as a CCD (solid-state image pickup device) is used as digital data.
2. Description of the Related Art There is known a digital camera capable of switching setting between a recording mode for recording on a recording medium such as a C card and a built-in memory and a reproduction mode for reproducing an image recorded on the recording medium. In this type of digital camera, the user
When the camera is set to the recording mode and the shutter button is pressed, the captured data of the image captured by the CCD is converted into digital data and then JPEG (Joint
It is compressed by a well-known compression method such as the Photographic Coding Experts Group) method, and the compressed image data obtained by this is recorded in the IC card.

After that, the user sets the camera to the reproduction mode, and the image recorded on the IC card is LC-coded.
When a predetermined operation is performed to display on D (liquid crystal display), the image is reproduced from the IC card and displayed on the LCD. Also, while the image is displayed on the LCD,
When the user performs a predetermined operation to enlarge and display the image, a part of the image displayed on the LCD is enlarged and displayed.

By the way, when the user shakes during the image recording operation, the image is taken by the CCD and the IC
The image recorded on the card is blurred and unclear. Therefore, in the procedure described below, image recording is performed while confirming whether or not the image recorded on the IC card is blurred due to camera shake during the image recording operation.

That is, after the image recording operation, the user switches the camera from the recording mode to the reproduction mode and then performs an operation for reproducing the image to be confirmed, and further, a part of the image is enlarged and displayed. Perform the operation to
The enlarged display confirms the presence or absence of camera shake during the image recording operation. After that, the user returns the camera from the reproduction mode to the recording mode and then performs the image recording operation.
In this way, the image recording is performed while confirming the presence or absence of camera shake during the image recording operation.

[0006]

However, in the conventional digital camera, in order to proceed with image recording while confirming the presence or absence of camera shake during the image recording operation, the camera is once switched to the reproduction mode and the reproduction operation and enlargement are performed. The display operation must be performed, and then the operation for returning the camera to the recording mode must be performed again, which poses a problem that this series of operations is extremely complicated. An object of the present invention is to provide a digital camera capable of advancing image recording while confirming the presence or absence of camera shake during image recording operation by a simple operation.

[0007]

A digital camera according to the present invention comprises an image pickup device and an image display device for displaying an image picked up by the image pickup device, and a recording for recording the image picked up by the image pickup device in a recording medium. Switching can be set between the mode and the reproduction mode in which the image recorded on the recording medium is reproduced and displayed on the image display device. In the characteristic configuration of the digital camera , the image recording operation is performed while the recording mode is set.
Image recorded by the imaging device according to the operation.
The image is recorded on a recording medium, and a black- and- white enlarged image is created by performing a black- and- white conversion process for converting the color image into a black-and-white image and an enlargement process for enlarging a part of the image, Is provided on the image display device.

In the digital camera according to the present invention,
When the user performs an image recording operation in the state where the camera is set to the recording mode, the image photographed by the photographing device according to the operation is recorded on the recording medium. In addition, when the user performs an operation to confirm the presence or absence of camera shake during the image recording operation while the camera is set to the recording mode, or the user automatically performs the operation without further operation.
To, for the image taken by as described above imaging apparatus <br/> monochrome conversion processing and enlargement processing is performed, white enlarged image is to be displayed on the image display apparatus thereby obtained. The user can confirm the presence / absence of camera shake during the image recording operation by the black and white enlarged image. Here, the image displayed on the image display device is a black-and-white image and has a higher resolution than a color image, and is a magnified image in which a part of the image photographed by the imaging device is magnified. The user can easily determine the presence or absence of camera shake.

According to the digital camera of the present invention, the user can confirm the presence or absence of camera shake during the image recording operation while the camera is set in the recording mode. It is possible to proceed with image recording while confirming the presence / absence of camera shake by a simple operation as compared with a conventional digital camera that had to be switched between and. It should be noted that there is known a digital camera in which, when a user presses a shutter button in the recording mode, an image photographed by a photographing device according to the operation is displayed as a still image on an image display device. Since the entire image captured by the image capturing device is displayed, it is difficult to determine whether or not there is camera shake during image recording operation.

Specifically, the image processing means displays the image taken by the image pickup device on the image display device and simultaneously displays the black-and-white enlarged image on the image display device.

In the specific configuration, the image taken by the image pickup device is displayed as a moving image in real time on the image display device, and at the same time, the black and white enlarged image is displayed on the image display device. There is no mistaken recognition that the image is the moving image.

Further, specifically, the image processing means displays the black-and-white enlarged image on the image display device and, at the same time, displays the fact on the image display device.

In the specific configuration, since the fact that a black and white enlarged image is displayed is displayed on the image display device, for example, an image taken by the image pickup device is displayed as a moving image on the image display device in real time. In the camera, the user does not mistakenly recognize the enlarged black and white image as the moving image.

More specifically, the image processing means is provided with a confirmation key to be operated when the black-and-white enlarged image is displayed on the image display device, and the image processing means is responsive to an operation on the confirmation key to display a white image.
A black magnified image is created and displayed on the image display device.

In the above specific structure, the user is
After performing the recording operation, do not operate the confirmation key.
Image is taken by the imaging device in response to the image recording operation.
The black and white enlarged image of the displayed image is displayed on the image display device.
Then, while checking the presence of camera shake by a simple operation, the image
The record can be advanced.

Furthermore, specifically, the image processing means creates a black and white enlarged image in accordance with an image recording operation, and displays the black and white enlarged image on the image display device for a predetermined time .

In the above concrete structure, the user can
After performing the recording operation, do not perform any further operation.
Dynamically photographed by the imaging device according to the image recording operation
Image display device for black and white enlarged image
Is displayed in the
You can proceed with image recording while confirming the presence or absence.
It

[0018]

According to the digital camera of the present invention,
With a simple operation, it is possible to proceed with image recording while confirming the presence or absence of camera shake during image recording operation.

[0019]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be specifically described below with reference to the drawings. The digital camera of the present invention has a recording mode in which an image taken by a CCD can be recorded in an IC card and a reproduction mode in which an image recorded in the IC card can be reproduced and displayed on an LCD. It is possible to switch between the settings.

In the digital camera of this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, a CCD (1), a signal processing circuit (2) for performing a digital conversion process, an image compression process and an image expansion process, and an image for performing an image combining process described later. Synthesis circuit (3), analog conversion circuit (4) that performs analog conversion processing, and LCD (5)
Are connected in series, and the signal processing circuit (2) has an IC card
(6) and the semiconductor memory (7) are connected.

Further, the signal processing circuit (2) includes an image processing circuit (11) for performing an image conversion process for converting a color image into a black and white image as described later, a zoom circuit (12) for performing an image enlarging process described later, And a window display circuit (13) for performing image reduction processing described later are connected in series, and the window display circuit (1
The output end of 3) is connected to the image synthesizing circuit (3). Further, the digital camera of the present invention comprises a character output circuit (14) for outputting character data described later, and the character output circuit (1)
The output end of 4) is connected to the image synthesizing circuit (3).

The above signal processing circuit (2) and character output circuit
The control circuit (8) is connected to (14), and these circuits (2)
The operation of (14) is controlled by the control circuit (8). The control circuit (8) is connected with a shutter button (9) and a confirmation button (10) to be operated when confirming whether or not the user shakes when the shutter button is pressed as described later.

When the user performs a predetermined operation to set the digital camera to the recording mode, the camera is set to the recording mode and the image data of the image taken by the CCD (1) is converted into the signal processing circuit (2). And is converted into digital imaging data. The digital image data is supplied to the analog conversion circuit (4) through the image synthesis circuit (3),
After being converted into an analog image signal by the circuit (4), it is supplied to the LCD (5). As a result, the image (moving image) taken by the CCD (1) is displayed on the LCD as shown in FIG.
It is displayed in real time over the entire image display area of (5).

Then, when the user refers to the moving image displayed as described above and sets the camera to the optimum position and orientation and presses the shutter button (9), the control circuit
(8) detects this and outputs an image recording command to the signal processing circuit (2). Upon receiving the command, the signal processing circuit (2) temporarily sets the digital image pickup data of the image photographed by the CCD (1) at that time as digital recording data,
Write to the semiconductor memory (7). The digital recording data thus written in the semiconductor memory (7) is read out by the signal processing circuit (2) and compressed by a well-known compression method such as JPEG method, and the compressed image data obtained by this is IC Written on card (6).

On the other hand, when the user performs a predetermined operation to set the digital camera to the reproduction mode, the camera is set to the reproduction mode, and in this state, the user makes an IC card.
When the playback button (not shown) is pressed to display the image recorded in (6) on the LCD (5), the control circuit (8) detects this and plays back to the signal processing circuit (2). Output a command. In response to the instruction, the signal processing circuit (2) reads the compressed image data from the IC card (6) and decompresses the read compressed image data. The original image data obtained by this is supplied to the analog conversion circuit (4) through the image synthesis circuit (3), converted into an analog image signal by the circuit (4), and then supplied to the LCD (5). It As a result, the image (still image) recorded on the IC card (6)
It is displayed in the entire image display area of the LCD (5).

Further, in the digital camera according to the present invention, it is possible to confirm whether or not the user has shaken when the user presses the shutter button (9), and the camera is set to the recording mode as described above. When the user presses the confirmation button (10) in the state of being displayed, the control circuit (8) detects this and outputs a confirmation display start command to the signal processing circuit (2), and at the same time outputs the character output circuit ( A character output start command is output to 14). The signal processing circuit (2) is a control circuit
In response to the confirmation display start command from (8), the digital recording data written in the semiconductor memory (7) as described above is read out, and the digital recording data is read by the image processing circuit (11).
Start the operation of outputting to. The character output circuit (14)
Upon receiving a character output start command from the control circuit (8), output of character data to the image synthesizing circuit (3) is started.

The digital recording data supplied to the image processing circuit (11) is converted into black and white digital data by deleting the color information relating to the color by the circuit (11), and the black and white digital data is converted into the zoom circuit (12). ) And is subjected to image enlarging processing for enlarging and displaying a part of the image in the entire image display area of the LCD (5), and then the window display circuit (1
3) and a part of the image is shown in LC as shown in FIG.
Image reduction processing for displaying in a window area (50) narrower than the image display area of D (5) is performed. The black and white enlarged digital data obtained by this is the image synthesizing circuit (3).
Is supplied to.

The black-and-white enlarged digital data, the character data from the character output circuit (14), and the digital image pickup data from the signal processing circuit (2) are input to the image synthesizing circuit (3). In (3), these data are combined to create combined image data. The composite image data thus created is supplied to the analog conversion circuit (4) and converted into an analog image signal, and then supplied to the LCD (5). As a result, the image (moving image) taken by the CCD (1)
Is displayed in real time over the entire image display area of the LCD (5) as shown in FIG.
A part of the latest image taken by the CCD (1) when (9) is pressed is displayed on the window area (50) of the LCD (5) as a black-and-white enlarged image by being superimposed on the moving image. Will be done. Further, the LCD (5) is displayed with a character display "enlarging" indicating that a black and white enlarged image is being displayed.

After that, when the user releases the finger from the confirmation button (10), the control circuit (8) detects this and outputs a confirmation display end command to the signal processing circuit (2), and at the same time the characters are displayed. A character output stop command is output to the output circuit (14). The signal processing circuit (2) receives the confirmation display end command from the control circuit (8), reads the digital recording data written in the semiconductor memory (7), and outputs the digital recording data to the image processing circuit (11). Stop the operation of outputting to. The character output circuit (14) receives the character output stop command from the control circuit (8) and stops the output of the character data to the image synthesizing circuit (3). As a result, the supply of the digital recording data to the image processing circuit (11) is stopped, the display of the black and white enlarged image on the LCD (5) is finished, and the supply of the character data to the image synthesizing circuit (3) is stopped. LCD
The above character display in (5) will be completed and LC
Only images (moving images) taken by the CCD (1) are displayed on D (5).

FIG. 4 shows a black and white enlarged image display procedure by the control circuit (8). As shown in the figure, first, in step S1, it is determined whether or not the confirmation button (10) has been pressed. If it is determined as no (No), the same determination is repeated in step S1. On the other hand, yes in step S1
When it is determined to be (Yes), the process proceeds to step S2,
It is determined whether or not the currently set mode is the recording mode, and if the result is NO, the process returns to step S1.

If YES is determined in step S2, the process proceeds to step S3 to output a confirmation display start command to the signal processing circuit (2) and the character output circuit (14).
A character output start command is output to. As a result, the black and white enlarged image of the latest image taken by the CCD (1) when the shutter button (9) is pressed is superimposed on the image (moving image) taken by the CCD (1) as shown in FIG. Been L
While being displayed in the window area (50) of the CD (5), a character display "during enlargement" indicating that a monochrome enlarged image is being displayed is displayed on the LCD (5).

Subsequently, in step S4 of FIG. 4, it is judged whether or not the confirmation button (10) is in the depressed state. If the judgment is YES, the same judgment is repeated in step S4 while the judgment is NO. If it is determined that the above, the process proceeds to step S5. In step S5, a confirmation display end command is output to the signal processing circuit (2) and a character output stop command is output to the character output circuit (14). As a result, LCD
When the black-and-white enlarged display in (5) ends, and the character display “enlarging” ends, only the image (moving image) taken by the CCD (1) is displayed on the LCD (5). .

When the user presses the shutter button (9) after setting the digital camera in the recording mode, the image taken by the CCD (1) at that time is displayed on the IC.
Written on card (6). Next, when the user presses the confirmation button (10) while the digital camera is set to the recording mode, as shown in FIG. 3, the image is taken by the CCD (1) and written in the IC card (6). A black-and-white enlarged image of the image is displayed in the window area (50) of the LCD (5), and the character display "in-magnification" is made in the upper right corner of the image display area of the LCD (5). The user
With the black and white enlarged image, as described above, the shutter button
It is possible to check if there was no camera shake when (9) was pressed. When the user releases the confirmation button (10), the black and white enlarged display and the character display on the LCD (5) are completed. After that, the user can continue image recording while the digital camera is set to the recording mode.

According to the digital camera of the present embodiment, the user can confirm the presence or absence of camera shake in the recording mode as described above. Therefore, in the process of recording an image while performing the confirmation, the user can change from the recording mode to the reproduction mode. It is not necessary to switch the recording mode to the recording mode or to switch the reproduction mode to the recording mode, and the image recording can be performed while performing the confirmation by a simple operation. Further, since the user simply presses the confirmation button (10) to display the above-mentioned black and white enlarged image for confirming the presence or absence of camera shake, the operation is extremely simple.

According to the digital camera of this embodiment,
The black-and-white enlarged image is displayed on the LCD (5) by being superimposed on the image (moving image) taken by the CCD (1), and a character display indicating that the black-and-white enlarged image is displayed is displayed on the LCD.
Since it is done in (5), the user does not mistakenly recognize that the black and white enlarged image is the moving image.

The structure of each part of the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment, and various modifications can be made within the technical scope described in the claims. For example, in the above-described embodiment, the black and white enlarged display and the character display are started when the user presses the confirmation button (10), and these displays are ended when the finger is released from the confirmation button (10). However, not limited to this, a configuration is adopted in which these displays are started when the user presses the confirmation button (10), and these displays are automatically terminated when a certain period of time elapses. It is also possible to do so. Also, omitting the confirmation button (10), these displays are started when the user presses the shutter button (9), and these displays are ended when the user releases the shutter button (9). Alternatively, it is also possible to adopt a configuration in which the user presses the shutter button (9) or a configuration in which these displays are automatically terminated when a certain time has elapsed after the user pressed the shutter button (9).

[Brief description of drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a moving image displayed on an LCD in a recording mode.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a monochrome enlarged image displayed on an LCD in a recording mode.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a black and white enlarged image display procedure in a recording mode.

[Explanation of symbols]

(1) CCD (2) Signal processing circuit (3) Image synthesis circuit (4) Analog conversion circuit (5) LCD (6) IC card (7) Semiconductor memory (8) Control circuit (9) Shutter button (10) Confirm button (11) Image processing circuit (12) Zoom circuit (13) Window display circuit (14) Character output circuit

Claims (7)

(57) [Claims] 1. A recording mode comprising: an image pickup device; and an image display device for displaying an image picked up by the image pickup device. A recording mode for recording an image picked up by the image pickup device on a recording medium and an image recorded on the recording medium. For a digital camera that can be switched between the playback mode and the playback mode that is displayed on the image display device , the image recording operation cannot be performed while the recording mode is set.
When taken, the image was taken by the imaging device according to the operation.
A digital camera characterized by comprising an image processing means for recording an image on a recording medium, converting the image into a monochrome image and displaying the monochrome image on an image display device. 2. A recording mode comprising: an image pickup device; and an image display device for displaying an image picked up by the image pickup device, and a recording mode for recording the image picked up by the image pickup device in a recording medium and an image recorded in the recording medium. For a digital camera that can be switched between the playback mode and the playback mode that is displayed on the image display device , the image recording operation cannot be performed while the recording mode is set.
When taken, the image was taken by the imaging device according to the operation.
A digital camera, comprising: an image processing means for recording an image on a recording medium, enlarging a part of the image to create an enlarged image, and displaying the enlarged image on an image display device. 3. A recording mode comprising: an image pickup device; and an image display device for displaying an image picked up by the image pickup device, and a recording mode for recording the image picked up by the image pickup device on a recording medium and an image recorded on the recording medium. For a digital camera that can be switched between the playback mode and the playback mode that is displayed on the image display device , the image recording operation cannot be performed while the recording mode is set.
When taken, the image was taken by the imaging device according to the operation.
While recording the image on the recording medium,
-Create a black and white enlarged image by performing a black and white conversion process that converts an image to a black and white image and a magnifying process that magnifies a part of the image,
A digital camera comprising image processing means for displaying the black and white enlarged image on an image display device. 4. The digital camera according to claim 3, wherein the image processing means displays the image captured by the image pickup device on the image display device and simultaneously displays the black-and-white enlarged image on the image display device. 5. The digital camera according to claim 3, wherein the image processing means displays the black-and-white enlarged image on the image display device and at the same time displays the fact on the image display device. 6. A confirmation key to be operated when displaying the black-and-white enlarged image on an image display device, wherein the image processing means produces a black-and-white enlarged image in response to an operation on the confirmation key .
The digital camera according to claim 3, wherein the digital camera is formed and displayed on an image display device . 7. The image processing means responds to an image recording operation.
Flip is, to create a black-and-white enlarged image, the time constant the white black larger image
The digital camera according to claim 3, wherein the image is displayed on the image display device only for a short period .