JP3700711B2 - Image recording apparatus having still image shooting function - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an image recording apparatus having a still image shooting function, such as a still image recording electronic camera or a video camera with a still image recording function.
[0002]
[Prior art]
For example, electronic devices that record still images include an electronic camera equipped with a flash memory and an electronic camera using a magnetic disk. These are electronic even when the shutter is released, so there is no sound or they are small. This was also a feature for film-type cameras. Some video cameras have a still image shooting function that records a still image for about 5 seconds, but no sound is produced.
[0003]
Here's why I want a video camera to have a still image shooting function. As shown in FIG. 13, there is a person who brings both a camera and a video camera for travel or the like. This makes it seem like you can take both photos and videos, but there is only one photo opportunity at a decisive moment, you can only take one. For this reason, we want to be able to take still images while taking video (moving pictures).
[0004]
Also, it is heavy and bad to hang two cameras and a video camera. In that case, there are times when it is inconvenient for traveling, such as taking only a video camera. When you are walking and watching, if you have a camera, you can shoot it for a moment, but if it ’s a video, you have to take a while to shoot, and in the meantime, your friends go ahead.
[0005]
In such a case, there is a still image shooting function. When the button is pressed, the image is temporarily stored in the fixed memory, and then it is convenient that the VTR records it for a certain time (for example, 3 seconds). At present, anyone can easily take a photo-like print from a video signal using a “video printer”.
[0006]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the above conventional image recording device, the fact that there is no sound when recording a still image is good for shooting without being noticed in a quiet place. After confirming that the subject has run out, the photographer can no longer break the pose with the sound of the shutter being released.
[0007]
About this shutter sound, everyone has become familiar with the camera since it was born, and when the shutter sound is heard, both the photographer and the person who was taking the picture said "I took a picture (still image)" do. That is, as described above, the photographer confirms with the ear that the photographer has taken a single picture, and the photographed person breaks the pose he was taking. I also often hear that when shooting a photo book, the model is fascinated by the pleasant shutter sound of a large luxury camera, creating a wonderful work.
[0008]
The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an image recording apparatus having a still image shooting function such as an electronic camera or a video camera having a natural and easy-to-use human interface. It is to provide.
[0009]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, the image recording apparatus having the still image shooting function of the present invention is linked to the operation of the still image recording button for shooting a still image by using a sound equivalent to a shutter sound of a film type camera. Shutter equivalent sound generating means generated by a mechanical sound generating mechanism using the urging force generated as described above, and selection means for setting whether or not the shutter equivalent sound generating means generates a sound corresponding to the shutter sound ; An image recording apparatus having a still image shooting function, wherein the shutter equivalent sound generating means is configured to be rotatable by a spring force, and a position not interlocked with a position interlocked with an operation of the still image recording button. A first lever that is movably disposed between the first lever and a second lever that is pivotally disposed at a position where the first lever can abut against the first lever. Second lever , And a knob for switching the first lever to a position linked to the operation of the still image recording button or a position not linked to the operation of the still image recording button, and the knob is set to a position linked to the operation of the still image recording button. When switched, the first lever hits the second lever by an urging force generated in conjunction with the operation of the still image recording button to generate a shutter equivalent sound, and the knob has the still image When switched to a position that is not interlocked with the operation of the recording button, the shutter equivalent sound is not generated without being interlocked with the operation of the still image recording button .
[0010]
By using the above means, the photographer and the photographed person confirm the end of shooting by generating a sound equivalent to the shutter sound of a familiar film-type camera when operating a still image recording button that is essentially silent or similar. In addition, it is natural and easy to use by allowing you to break poses and feel a pleasant rhythm and atmosphere.
[0011]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
[0012]
FIG. 1 shows the appearance of one embodiment of the present invention. This video camera device 1 has an imaging lens 2 and a microphone 3, and a battery is incorporated inside the grip 4. On the back, a viewfinder eye cup 5 and a VTR device (not shown) are incorporated.
[0013]
There is a moving image recording start / stop button (hereinafter abbreviated as a start / stop button) 6 at the top, so that the start / stop button 6 cannot be pushed when the lock / standby lever 7 is laid as shown in FIG. In order to be able to push the lock / standby lever 7 forward (as shown in FIG. 5), there is a safety function.
[0014]
Also, a still image recording button 8 is provided near the start / stop button 6 and immediately after the finger that has just pressed the start / stop button 6 is moved. There is a knob 9 for switching between.
[0015]
FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the shutter sound generator. The still image recording button 8 is fixed near one end of the plate-like plastic plate 10, and this plastic plate 10 functions as a leaf spring so that the still image recording button 8 is always kept at a predetermined position. For this reason, the tip of the plastic plate 10 is fixed in combination with the projection of the cabinet of the video camera device 1 (not shown) in the hole 10a.
[0016]
A protruding piece 11 is formed integrally with the one end of the plastic plate 10, and a shutter sound described later is generated by the engagement of the protruding piece 11. A leg 12 is provided below the still image recording button 8, and the switch 13 is turned on when the still image recording button 8 is pressed.
[0017]
Reference numeral 14 denotes a shutter sound generator, which includes a plate 15, a boss 16, a lever 17, a spring 19, a lever 20, and the like. The plate 15 is firmly fixed to the cabinet of the video camera apparatus 1, and a boss 16 is erected, and a long hole 18 of the lever 17 is fitted in this. The lever 17 is held by a spring 19 locked to the plate 15, and one side of the elongated hole 18 is brought into contact with the boss 16.
[0018]
The tip of the lever 17 is in contact with a lever 20 integrated with a knob 9 for switching whether or not to emit a shutter sound. Further, the lever 17 is formed with a claw 21 to which the protruding piece 11 is engaged.
[0019]
FIGS. 3A, 3B, 3C, and 3D are operation explanatory views showing the function of the shutter sound generator 14. FIG. When the still image recording button is pushed from the normal state of (a) and the protruding piece 11 is lowered, the lever 17 rotates against the biasing force of the spring 19 by the engagement of the claw 21 (state (b)). .
[0020]
When the protruding piece 11 is further lowered, the claw 21 is detached from the protruding piece 11. Then, the lever 17 rotates vigorously by the urging force of the spring 19 and returns to its original state (state (c)). At this time, a sound hitting the lever 20 is generated.
[0021]
This sound is transmitted to the cabinet of the video camera device 1 to which the shutter sound generating device 14 is connected, resulting in a large crack and the shutter sound in this embodiment. When the protruding piece 11 is raised, the claw 21 is moved sideways by the oblong hole 18 so as not to prevent the protruding piece 11 from being raised, so that the still image recording button is restored.
[0022]
Here, in order not to generate the sound of the shutter sound generator 14, the knob 9 may be rotated as shown in FIG. When the knob 9 is turned, the lever 20 is rotated and the lever 17 is rotated in the clockwise direction. As a result, the claw 21 is lowered and is not engaged with the protruding piece 11 so that no sound is produced even when the protruding piece 11 is lowered.
[0023]
FIG. 5 is an external view of a video camera apparatus related to the present invention. In the apparatus of FIG. 5, the shutter sound is generated by an electronic shutter sound generator. This shutter sound is emitted from the speaker 22. In addition, a flash 23 is turned on during still image shooting. In this case, if the shutter sound data of a large luxury camera is stored in a memory described later, a still image can be taken with a pleasant sound.
[0024]
FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a video camera apparatus having an electronic shutter sound generator. Reference numeral 40 denotes a shutter sound generator. Reference numeral 41 denotes a memory for previously storing shutter sound data. When the shutter sound switch 8a linked to the still image recording button 8 is operated, the counter 42 counts the oscillation output of the oscillator 43 and stores the count value in the memory. The read address is 41.
[0025]
As a result, the shutter sound data is read out in time series, sequentially converted into an analog signal by the D / A converter 44, converted to an audio band signal by the low-pass filter 45, amplified by the amplifier 46, and output from the speaker 22. Is done.
[0026]
A shutter sound on / off switch 9a linked to the knob 9 stops the generation of the shutter sound by stopping the counter 42 in this example. The amplifier 46 is provided with a shutter sound volume 47 for adjusting the sound volume when outputting the shutter sound. Note that the speaker 22 may also be used as a speaker that emits sound during reproduction. The shutter sound generator 40 is replaced with the mechanical shutter sound generator shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 in the embodiment of the present invention.
[0027]
The configuration of FIG. 6 shows an example in which still image (still image) recording is performed together with moving image recording. 24 is a video camera unit, 25 is a VTR that performs recording, and 26 is a control unit that controls recording. This video camera apparatus is an image recording apparatus that records in the VTR 25 for several seconds when the still image recording button 8 is pressed. However, the present video camera apparatus is not limited to this example. For example, a still image can be recorded on a memory card as shown in the prior art. Of course, a recording device may be incorporated and only the video camera unit 24 may be used in common.
[0028]
Now, the blocks of the video camera unit 24, VTR 25, and control unit 26 in FIG. 6 will be described in detail. The video camera unit 24 includes an imaging lens 2, an imaging device 2a, an image memory 31, a camera signal processing circuit 33, a video signal processing circuit 34, an amplifier 35, and the like. The control unit 26 includes edge detection circuits 27a and 27b, a mode command generation circuit 28, a control circuit 29, a timer 30, and the like.
[0029]
Each circuit is started by turning the lock / standby lever 7 of FIGS. 1 and 5 from the position of FIG. 1 to the position of FIG. 5, and the start / stop button 6 and the still image recording button 8 can be used. When these buttons 6 and 8 are pressed, the information that the edge detection circuits 27a and 27b are pressed is transmitted to the mode command generation circuit 28 and processed as follows.
[0030]
When the start / stop button 6 is pressed once, the moving image recording mode command 28b comes out of the mode command generation circuit 28, the video camera unit 24 and the VTR 25 are controlled by the control circuit 29, and moving image recording starts. That is, the image of the imaging lens 2 is converted into an electrical signal by the imaging device 2a, and is input to the VTR 25 as an image signal through the camera signal processing circuit 33 and the video signal processing circuit 34. On the other hand, the sound is collected by the microphone 3 and input to the VTR 25 via the microphone amplifier 35.
[0031]
When the start / stop button 6 is pressed again, a recording stop mode command 28 a is issued from the mode command generation circuit 28 to the control circuit 29, and moving image recording is stopped under the control of the control circuit 29.
[0032]
When the still image recording button 8 is pressed, a still image recording mode command 28c is issued from the mode command generation circuit 28, and a still image is recorded in the VTR 25 by the timer 30 for a predetermined time. An image memory 31 is provided after the camera signal processing circuit 33 so that this still image can be recorded.
[0033]
Since the image memory 31 has a write control function called “write enable”, an image is taken into the image memory 31 by using the write control function, and then the take-in is stopped so that a still image can be accumulated and recorded by the VTR 25 for a predetermined time. ing.
[0034]
In the above configuration, the mechanism is simpler when the shutter sound is always generated when the still image recording button 8 is pressed, and the photographer does not need to use his head. However, in this case, when moving from a moving image to a still image, depending on the scene, it may be preferable that there is no shutter sound when viewed during playback. In this case, when the shutter sound on / off switch 32 in FIG. 29 automatically lowers the gain of the microphone amplifier 35 when the shutter sound is generated, and the shutter sound is not recorded in the VTR 25.
[0035]
Further, at the time of shooting a still image including a shutter sound, the gain of the microphone amplifier 35 may be lowered to emphasize a still image. In order not to record the shutter sound, it is also possible to turn off any connection point or element in the sound recording path from the microphone 3 to the VTR 25.
[0036]
The operation of the above video camera will be described more easily with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS. FIG. 7 shows the functions of the start / stop button 6, the still image recording button 8, the edge detection circuits 27a and 27b, and the mode command generation circuit 28. FIG. 8 shows the control by the mode commands 28a, 28b, and 28c from the mode command generation circuit 28. The operation of the circuit 29 and the timer 30 and below is shown.
[0037]
First, in FIG. 7, the recording stop mode command 28a is issued in the initial state. Next, when the start / stop button 6 is pressed, the moving image recording mode command 28b is issued, and when the still image recording button 8 is pressed, the still image recording mode command 28c is issued. When the still image recording button 8 is pressed after the start / stop button 6 is pressed and the moving image recording mode command 28b is issued, the still image recording mode command 28c is issued, and then the moving image recording start / stop button 6 is pressed. If so, the recording stop mode command 28a is issued.
[0038]
Next, in FIG. 8, when the recording stop mode command 28a comes after the operation starts, the control circuit 29 sets all the flags when the still image recording timer 30 is zero or becomes zero, and sets the VTR 25 to the standby state. Return to the main loop.
[0039]
The main loop includes processing for mode command determination and still image recording flag determination. When the moving image recording mode command 28b comes in this main loop, the image capture to the image memory 31 is resumed when the still image recording timer 30 is zero or becomes zero, and the VTR 25 is set to the recording state. If the still image recording mode flag is set, the moving image recording mode flag is set over it. When the still image recording mode command 28c is received, the still image recording mode flag is set, the timer 30 is set to a predetermined time (3 seconds in this example), the image at that time is taken into the image memory 31, and thereafter Stop capturing images.
[0040]
Next, it is checked whether or not the moving image recording mode flag is set, and when it is standing, it is already in the recording state, so it returns to the main loop, and when it is not standing, the VTR 25 is set to the recording state and returns to the main loop. If it is determined that the still image recording flag is set in the main loop, the routine returns to the main loop when the remaining time of the timer 30 is not zero, and when it becomes zero, the moving image recording mode flag is set through the still image recording flag. If it is not standing, the VTR 25 is set to the standby state and the main loop is returned. As described above, still image recording to the VTR 25 and still image recording after moving image recording are enabled.
[0041]
This function is shown in the timing chart of FIG. A part of the movement will be explained based on this. First, when the lock / standby lever 7 is turned to turn on the circuit and the start / stop button 6 is pressed, moving image recording starts as shown in (1).
[0042]
Next, when the still image recording button 8 is pressed in (2), the image memory 31 stops new writing, and the still image at the time when it is pressed in (2) is recorded in the VTR 25 for 3 seconds. Next, if the start / stop button 6 is pressed as shown in (4) within 3 seconds after the still image recording button 8 is pressed in (3), the still image is displayed at the time of (3) after recording the moving image. After the still image is recorded for 3 seconds, the recording is stopped.
[0043]
If the still image recording button 8 is pressed as in the stopped state (5), the still image at that time is recorded for 3 seconds. If the still image recording button 8 is further pressed as in (7) during still image recording as in (6), the still image at the time of (7) is switched, and recording is performed for 3 seconds from the time of (7).
[0044]
In the above description, since the timing of pressing the button is naturally deviated from the timing of the vertical synchronization signal, it is natural that all operations are started in synchronization with the vertical synchronization signal immediately after the button is pressed. is there.
[0045]
10, 11 and 12 show usage examples of the embodiment of the present invention.
[0046]
FIG. 10 shows a camera in place, and in this state, both a moving image / still image can be taken. FIG. 11 illustrates a state in which after the start / stop button 6 is pressed, the user moves to slide and the still image recording button 8 is pressed.
[0047]
In the above embodiment, the start / stop button 6 and the still image recording button 8 are placed at an angle with a slight offset. Therefore, the start / stop button 6 is used when touched normally. The button 8 can be touched, which is convenient.
[0048]
The video camera apparatus related to the present invention has a function of shooting a moving image and finally recording it as a still image for several seconds. For example, as shown in FIG. It is a technique often used in endings, etc. When a shutter sound is heard at the moment when it becomes a still image, it becomes quite plausible and the ending can be determined.
[0049]
Note that the shutter equivalent sound that is generated when the still image recording button is pressed is not limited to the shutter sound of a camera or a similar sound. It goes without saying that the object of the invention can be achieved. As described above, the present invention can be variously applied in accordance with the gist thereof and can take various embodiments.
[0050]
【The invention's effect】
As is clear from the above description, according to the image recording apparatus having the still image shooting function of the present invention, the photographer and the person to be photographed are able to “take a still image” by the shutter sound without explanation and reasoning. It can be confirmed by ear. This is an advanced human interface using human tacit knowledge. In addition, since the shutter equivalent sound generating means constituted by a mechanical sound generating mechanism is very inexpensive, cost increase can be minimized.
[0051]
In addition, the selection means can stop the sound especially when the shutter sound should not be made, so the range of photographing opportunities is widened.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is an external view showing an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a configuration of a shutter sound generator in the embodiment.
FIGS. 3A, 3B, 3C, and 3D are explanatory diagrams of the operation of the shutter sound generator (part 1); FIGS.
FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the shutter sound generator (part 2).
FIG. 5 is an external view of a video camera apparatus related to the present invention.
6 is a block diagram showing a configuration of the video camera device of FIG. 5;
FIG. 7 is a flowchart (part 1) for explaining the operation of the video camera apparatus of FIG. 5;
FIG. 8 is a flowchart (part 2) for explaining the operation of the video camera device of FIG. 5;
9 is a timing chart showing the operation of the video camera device of FIG.
FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of use of an embodiment of the present invention (part 1);
FIGS. 11A and 11B are views showing a usage example of the embodiment of the present invention (part 2); FIGS.
FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an example of use of the embodiment of the present invention (part 3);
FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram of a conventional example.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Video camera apparatus, 3 ... Microphone, 6 ... Moving image recording start / stop button, 8 ... Still image recording button, 9 ... Knob, 10 ... Plastic board, 11 ... Projection piece, 14 ... Shutter sound generator, 15 ... Board 16 ... boss, 17 ... lever, 18 ... long hole, 19 ... spring, 20 ... lever, 21 ... claw, 22 ... speaker, 24 ... video camera unit, 25 ... VTR, 26 ... control unit, 29 ... control circuit, DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 30 ... Timer, 31 ... Image memory, 40 ... Electronic shutter sound generator, 41 ... Memory, 42 ... Counter, 43 ... Oscillator, 44 ... D / A converter.

Claims (1)

Shutter equivalent sound generating means generated by a mechanical sound generating mechanism using an urging force generated in conjunction with the operation of a still image recording button for shooting a still image, and a sound corresponding to a shutter sound of a film-type camera; The shutter equivalent sound generating means includes a selection means for setting whether or not to generate a sound corresponding to the shutter sound, and an image recording apparatus having a still image shooting function,
The shutter equivalent sound generating means is configured to be rotatable by a spring force, and is arranged to be movable between a position interlocked with the operation of the still image recording button and a position not interlocked, A second lever rotatably disposed at a position where it can contact the first lever;
The selection means includes a knob that rotates the second lever to switch the first lever to a position that is linked to or not linked to the operation of the still image recording button.
When the knob is switched to a position interlocked with the operation of the still image recording button, the first lever hits the second lever by an urging force generated in association with the operation of the still image recording button. Generates a shutter equivalent sound,
When the knob is switched to a position that is not interlocked with the operation of the still image recording button, the shutter equivalent sound is not generated without being interlocked with the operation of the still image recording button. An image recording apparatus having an image shooting function.

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