JP4179711B2 - Electronic camera - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an electronic camera having a continuous shooting function.
[0002]
[Prior art]
A subject image is formed on a solid-state image sensor, for example, a CCD two-dimensional image sensor, by an imaging optical system and converted into an electric signal, and a still image signal obtained thereby is recorded on a recording medium such as a semiconductor memory or a magnetic disk. Electronic cameras that record images are becoming widespread.
[0003]
In addition to increasing the capacity of recording media and improving image processing speed, not only still images are shot, but also moving images consisting of multiple still images that are continuous in time are shot and played back continuously during playback. Various electronic cameras that display a so-called continuous shooting function have been commercialized.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
When reproducing a moving image, it is often desirable to slowly confirm only one or several specific images among a plurality of still images constituting the moving image. In such a case, with a conventional electronic camera, the playback state of the moving image is switched from continuous playback to single frame playback, and frame advance operation is performed until the desired image is selected, and the desired image is displayed. At that point, the frame advance operation was stopped.
[0005]
However, such a method has a problem that it takes time and effort to select an arbitrary image in the moving image.
[0006]
An object of the present invention is to provide an electronic camera capable of slowly confirming the contents of a specific image in a moving image without requiring a complicated operation.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above problems, the present invention adds identification information to a desired still image in a moving image when shooting a moving image, and displays the still image with the identification information added when reproducing the moving image. The main point is to display a part of the screen.
[0008]
That is, the electronic camera according to the present invention includes a first release unit that instructs to capture a still image, and a second release that instructs to start and stop the capturing of a moving image composed of a plurality of temporally continuous still images. Means, a recording means for recording a moving image taken by an instruction from the second release means on a recording medium, and a state in which the moving image is taken by an instruction from the second release means. Recording control means for adding identification information to the still image at the time when the shooting of the still image in the moving image recorded on the recording medium is instructed when shooting of the still image by the release means is instructed; When reproducing and displaying a moving image recorded on the recording medium, a still image with the identification information added is used for a predetermined time in parallel with the reproducing and displaying of the moving image. Watari; and a reproduction control means for controlling the playback display, the playback control means, wherein when the identification information during moving image recorded on the recording medium is added still image there are a plurality, these The plurality of still images are set to have different sizes, and control is performed to reproduce and display the set plurality of still images in parallel .
[0009]
With such a configuration, identification information is added to the individual still images constituting the moving image as, for example, a parent image of a picture-in-picture image or among a plurality of still images constituting the moving image. The displayed still image is displayed as a child image of a picture-in-picture image, so that in the scene that is considered to be particularly important by the user at the time of shooting, only a still image shooting instruction is given and identification information is added. Thus, the contents of the still image can be confirmed slowly without performing complicated operations such as special key operations during reproduction.
[0010]
When there are a plurality of still images with identification information added in the moving image, the playback control means sets the size of the plurality of still images as the recording time is newer, and the set still images are parallelized. Then, playback control may be performed.
[0011]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of an electronic camera according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0012]
The subject light passes through the imaging lens 1, and the amount of light is controlled by the diaphragm 2. The imaging lens 1 is driven by an AF motor 3, and the aperture 2 is driven by an aperture motor 4. The AF motor 3 and the aperture motor 4 are driven by motor drivers 5 and 6, respectively.
[0013]
The subject light that has passed through the imaging lens 1 and the diaphragm 2 enters a CCD two-dimensional color image sensor (hereinafter simply referred to as a CCD) 7 that is a color solid-state imaging device. As a result, a subject image is formed on the imaging surface of the CCD 7. The CCD 7 is configured by arranging a plurality of pixels that perform photoelectric conversion in a two-dimensional matrix to form an imaging surface, and further arranging a color filter on the imaging surface, and is driven and controlled by the CCD driver 8. Signal charges corresponding to the subject image formed on the imaging surface are accumulated. The signal charge accumulated on the imaging surface is read from the CCD 7 as an electrical signal called a pixel signal.
[0014]
The pixel signal read from the CCD 7 is converted into a digital signal by the A / D converter 9, and then the image processing unit 10, the AE (automatic exposure) processing unit 11, the AF (automatic focus adjustment) processing unit 12, and the AWB. (Automatic white balance adjustment) Input to the processing unit 13. The image processing unit 10 performs color signal separation, CDS (correlated double sampling), and other processing on the pixel signal to generate a color image signal of a predetermined format.
[0015]
The AE processing unit 11 receives the digitized pixel signal output from the A / D converter 9 and performs arithmetic processing mainly based on the cumulative addition of the pixel signal from each pixel. Based on the cumulative addition value, the subject An AE evaluation value (photometric value) corresponding to the brightness of the image is obtained, and the amount of light is controlled by controlling the diaphragm 2 via the diaphragm motor 4 based on the AE evaluation value, and further via the CCD driver 8. An automatic exposure (AE) process is performed by controlling the charge accumulation time of the CCD 7.
[0016]
The AF processing unit 12 receives the digitized pixel signal output from the A / D converter 9 and extracts, for example, a high-frequency component of the pixel signal for one screen by a high-pass filter, and performs cumulative addition on this. The AF evaluation value corresponding to the contour component amount on the high frequency side is calculated by performing the above calculation process, and based on this, the imaging lens 1 is controlled in the optical axis direction via the AF motor 3 to automatically adjust the focus (AF ) Process.
[0017]
The AWB processing unit 13 receives the digitized pixel signal output from the A / D converter 9, and the color image signal in the image processing unit 10 so that white is correctly reproduced regardless of the color temperature of the subject. An automatic white balance adjustment (AWB) process is performed to control the generation of.
[0018]
The color image signal generated by the image processing unit 10 is temporarily stored in the buffer memory 14. The color image signal read from the buffer memory 14 is guided to the display processing unit 15 where it is converted into a form suitable for display output, and then supplied to a color liquid crystal display (LCD) 16 such as a TFT system, and displayed as an image. Is done.
[0019]
A compression processing unit 17 and an expansion processing unit 18 are further connected to the buffer memory 14. A memory card 20, which is a recording medium for recording image data and accompanying data, is connected to the compression processing unit 17 and the expansion processing unit 18 via a recording / playback processing unit 19. The memory card 20 is configured using a semiconductor memory such as a card type flash memory. The recording medium is not limited to the memory card 20, and various forms such as a magnetic recording medium such as a hard disk or a floppy disk can be used.
[0020]
The compression processing unit 17 reads the image signal stored in the buffer memory 14 and performs compression (encoding) processing by a predetermined compression method, for example, the JPEG method. The image data encoded by the compression processing unit 17 is recorded in the memory card 20 after being made into a form suitable for recording on the memory card 20 by the recording / playback processing unit 19. However, a normal still image is recorded as a JPEG file on the memory card 20, but a moving image that is a plurality of still images that are temporally continuous is recorded as a motion JPEG file.
[0021]
The image data recorded on the memory card 20 is played back via the recording / playback processing unit 19, and decompressed (decoded) by the decompression processing unit 18 by a process reverse to the compression method of the compression processing unit 17. The decompressed image signal is temporarily stored in the buffer memory 14 and can be appropriately displayed and output on the liquid crystal display 16 via the display processing unit 15.
[0022]
The system controller 21 controls each unit based on a command from the operation unit 30, and is configured using a CPU. Specifically, the system controller 21 includes a CCD driver 8, an A / D converter 9, an image processing unit 10, an AE processing unit 11, an AF processing unit 12, an AWB processing unit 13, a buffer memory 14, a display processing unit 15, and a compression. The processor 17, the decompression processor 18 and the recording / reproduction processor 19 are controlled.
[0023]
The operation unit 30 generates command signals for performing various operations based on operations by the user of the camera and transmits them to the system controller 21. The operation unit 30 is provided with a still image release switch 31, a continuous shooting release switch 32, and a mode switch 33, which are particularly related to the present invention.
[0024]
The still image release switch 31 is a switch for instructing to capture a still image. The continuous shooting release switch 32 is a two-stage operation switch for instructing start and stop of capturing a moving image composed of a plurality of still images that are temporally continuous. An instruction to stop shooting is given in the second stage operation. The mode switch 33 is a switch for switching between a recording (photographing) mode and a reproduction (display) mode.
[0025]
The system controller 21 records a moving image to be recorded in the memory card 20 when a still image release switch 31 is instructed to capture a moving image in response to an instruction from the continuous shooting release switch 32. Recording control for adding a still image flag to a corresponding still image in the image, that is, a still image shot at the moment when shooting of the still image is instructed, is performed on the recording / playback processing unit 19. The still image flag is identification information indicating that the still image to which the still image flag is added is a still image to be displayed independently.
[0026]
Further, the system controller 21 displays the still image with the still image flag added to the display screen of the liquid crystal display 16 in parallel with the reproduction display of the moving image when the moving image recorded on the memory card 20 is displayed. The recording / reproduction processing unit 19 is controlled to reproduce and display for a predetermined time using the unit.
[0027]
Next, an operation procedure at the time of shooting a moving image in the present embodiment will be described using the flowchart shown in FIG. These operations are realized as control by the system controller 21 and processing of the system controller 21 itself.
[0028]
First, it is checked whether or not the first-stage operation of the continuous shooting release switch 32 has been performed, that is, whether or not the continuous shooting release is on (step A1). If the continuous shooting release is on, a shooting operation is performed (step A2). In this photographing operation, AF operation, AE operation, and AWB operation in the AE processing unit 11, AF processing unit 12, and AWB processing unit 13 are sequentially executed, and then imaging by the CCD 7, image processing in the image processing unit 10, and buffering are performed. A compression process in the compression processing unit 17 is performed via the memory 14, and a moving image is recorded on the memory card 20 by the recording / playback processing unit 19. The compression processing of the compression processing unit 17 is, for example, the JPEG method, and a still image is recorded as a motion JPEG file on the memory card 20 when a moving image is captured.
[0029]
Each time a still image is shot at the time of moving image shooting, the user checks whether the still image release switch 31 is turned on, that is, whether a still image release has been performed (step A3). The still image flag F is set to the corresponding still image, that is, the still image shot at the moment when the still image release is turned on (step A4).
[0030]
Next, it is checked whether or not the second-stage operation of the continuous release switch 32 has been performed, that is, whether or not the continuous release is off (step A5). If the continuous release is not off, that is, the continuous release remains on. In this case, after waiting for a fixed time (for example, 0.2 seconds when shooting a moving image is 5 frames / second) until the next shooting timing comes in step A6, the operations of steps A2 to A6 are performed in step A5. Repeat until the shutter release is off. The still image release may be performed a plurality of times during one moving image shooting, and in this case, the still image flag F is set every time the still image is released.
[0031]
When the continuous shooting release is turned off in step A5, post-processing of the motion JPEG file recorded on the memory card 20, for example, setting of a file header portion, etc. is performed (step A7). Through such a series of moving image shooting processing, a moving image in which the still image flag F is added to the still image desired by the user is recorded.
[0032]
FIG. 3 shows a configuration example of a motion JPEG file recorded as a moving image on the memory card 20. This motion JPEG file (extension: mjp) has a file name “9903099101004” that is automatically given according to the recording start time (year, month, day, hour, minute, second), for example. Further, this motion JPEG file is composed of JPEG still image files (extension: jpg) having file names of “9903090101004-01”, “9903099101004-02”, “9903099101004-03”,. Then, a still image flag F (F = 1) is assigned to the JPEG still image file that has been released.
[0033]
Next, an operation procedure at the time of reproducing the moving image (motion JPEG file) recorded as described above will be described using the flowchart shown in FIG. This operation is also realized as control by the system controller 21 and processing of the system controller 21 itself.
[0034]
First, as an initial setting, I = 0 is set (step B1). Here, I is a flag that is set to “1” when a picture-in-picture (hereinafter referred to as PinP) image is reproduced.
[0035]
After this initial setting, the first image of the motion JPEG file recorded on the memory card 20 is selected (step B2), and the selected still image is expanded, that is, reproduced and decoded (step B3), and displayed (step B4). ). The display of the still image is performed until it is determined in step B5 that a certain time (for example, 0.5 seconds) has elapsed.
[0036]
Next, it is checked whether I = 1 (step B6). If I = 1, it is further checked whether j = J (step B7). Here, j is the value of the continuous display number counter of PinP images. J is the maximum number of continuously displayed PinP images (for example, 6), and is 0.5 × 6 = 3 seconds in terms of time. If j = J, I and J are set to 0 (step B8).
[0037]
If I is not 1 in step B6, the process proceeds to step B9. If I = 1 at step B6 and j = J is not satisfied at step B7, the process proceeds to step B9. Further, if j = J in step B7, I and J are set to 0, and then the process proceeds to step B9. In step B9, the presence or absence of the next still image of the motion JPEG file is checked (step B9). If there is no next image, the process ends. If there is a next still image in step B9, that image is selected (step B10), and it is subsequently checked whether the still image flag F is set in the image, that is, whether F = 1 (step B11).
[0038]
Here, if F = 1, a PinP image having the image selected in step B10 as a parent image and a child image is developed and displayed (step B12). Thereafter, 1 is set in each of I and J (step B13), and the process returns to step B4. If F = 1, it is further checked whether I = 1 (step B14). If I = 1, the image selected in step B10 is the parent image, and the immediately preceding F = 1 image is the child image. The developed PinP image is expanded and displayed (step B15). Thereafter, j is incremented by 1 (step B16), and the process returns to step B4. If I = 1 in step B4, the PinP image is not displayed and only the image selected in step B10 is expanded and displayed (step B17), and the process returns to step B4.
[0039]
As described above, in the present embodiment, a still image flag F as identification information is added to a desired still image by a still image release operation by the user at the time of shooting the moving image, and when the moving image is reproduced and displayed, FIG. In Step B15, the still image to which the still image flag F is added is converted into a PinP image using a part of the display screen (child screen) for a predetermined time (in this example, for example, 3 seconds determined by the maximum continuous display number J of PinP images) ) Playback and display.
[0040]
Therefore, it is possible to slowly confirm the content of a specific still image desired by the user at the time of playback display by an extremely simple operation of only performing a still image release operation when shooting a moving image, and the intended object of the present invention Can be achieved.
[0041]
FIG. 5 is a display example of a PinP image in the present embodiment, and a parent image 51 and a child image 52 are displayed on the display screen 50 of the liquid crystal display 16 or an external display. In step B15 of FIG. 4, each still image of the moving image is sequentially displayed as the parent image 51, and a specific still image to which the still image flag F is added is displayed as the child image 52.
[0042]
More specifically, FIG. 5 is an example of a display screen when the state of the athlete's race at the athletic meet is photographed as a moving image, the parent image 51 is an image immediately after all the athletes of the athlete race finish, and the child image 52 is photographed, for example. It represents the image of the moment when the child of the person who finished the game finished. In other words, this is a display screen when the photographer performs a still image release at the moment when the child finishes in the situation where the child's child's participation is taken as a video image. An image 51 is a still image that changes every moment of a moving image, and a child image 52 is a still image to which a still image flag F is added by a still image release. This corresponds to the display screen in step B15 of FIG.
[0043]
On the other hand, in step B12 of FIG. 4, since the still image flag F is not added to the still image reproduced and displayed so far, each still image of the moving image is sequentially displayed as the parent image as described above. The same still image as the parent image is reproduced and displayed for the child image.
[0044]
In the above embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, only the latest one still image to which the still image flag F is added is displayed as the child image 52, and the still image flag F is captured when a moving image is captured. When there are a plurality of still images to which is added, these still images are sequentially reproduced and displayed as child images 52. However, the form of reproduction display in the present invention is not limited to this. For example, as shown in FIG. 6, a plurality of still images to which a still image flag F is added may be reproduced and displayed in parallel. .
[0045]
That is, on the display screen 60 in FIG. 6A, each still image constituting the moving image is reproduced and displayed as the parent image 61, but the latest two images with the still image flag F added as the child images 62a and 62b. One still image is played back and displayed. The display screen 60 shown in FIG. 6B is almost the same as that shown in FIG. 6A. However, as the child images 62a and 62b, the size of a plurality of still images to be reproduced and displayed is increased, for example, as a new image at a new time. Different.
[0046]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, a still image added with identification information among a plurality of still images constituting a moving image is displayed using a part of the display screen in parallel with the reproduction display of the moving image. Therefore, in scenes that the user thinks are particularly important during shooting, it is possible to perform complicated operations such as special key operations during playback simply by issuing a still image release instruction and adding identification information such as a still image flag. It is possible to provide an electronic camera that can slowly check the content of a still image of an important scene without performing it.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an electronic camera according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure when shooting a moving image in the embodiment. FIG. 3 is a memory card in the embodiment. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure when a moving image is reproduced in the embodiment. FIG. 5 is a moving image and still image flag added in the embodiment. FIG. 6 is a view showing another example of a still image display screen. FIG. 6 is a view showing another example of a still image display screen to which a moving image and a still image flag are assigned according to the embodiment.
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Imaging lens 2 ... Aperture 3 ... AF motor 4 ... Aperture motors 5, 6 ... Motor driver 7 ... CCD (imaging device)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 8 ... CCD driver 9 ... A / D converter 10 ... Image processing part 11 ... Automatic exposure processing part 12 ... Automatic focus adjustment processing part 13 ... Automatic white balance adjustment processing part 14 ... Buffer memory 15 ... Display processing part 16 ... Liquid crystal display 17 ... Compression processing unit 18 ... Decompression processing unit 19 ... Recording / reproduction processing unit (recording means)
20 ... Memory card 21 ... System controller (recording control means, reproduction control means)
30 ... Operation unit 31 ... Still image release switch (first release means)
32. Continuous release release switch (second release means)
33 ... Mode switch

Claims (2)

First release means for instructing to capture a still image;
A second release means for instructing start and stop of shooting of a moving image composed of a plurality of still images continuous in time;
Recording means for recording a moving image captured by an instruction from the second release means on a recording medium;
When shooting of a still image is instructed by the first release means in a state where shooting of a moving image is being performed by an instruction from the second release means, the moving image in the moving image recorded on the recording medium is instructed. Recording control means for adding identification information to a still image at the time when shooting of the still image is instructed;
When reproducing and displaying the moving image recorded on the recording medium, the still image to which the identification information is added is reproduced and displayed for a predetermined time using a part of the display screen in parallel with the reproducing and displaying of the moving image. Reproduction control means for performing control ,
Comprising
When there are a plurality of still images to which the identification information is added in the moving image recorded on the recording medium, the reproduction control means sets the plurality of still images to have different sizes, A camera that controls to reproduce and display a plurality of set still images in parallel . When there are a plurality of still images to which the identification information is added in the moving image recorded on the recording medium, the reproduction control unit increases the size of the plurality of still images as the recording time is newer. The electronic camera according to claim 1, wherein the electronic camera is set as follows .

Images