JP4366210B2 - Image generation device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a communicable images generator equipment and external equipment.

  In a digital video camera, there is a demand for a function capable of recording an image by a remote trigger operation by an external device when the camera function of the digital video camera is in an effective mode. In many cases, commands transmitted from an external device to a digital video camera have different specifications depending on each external device or each digital interface, and their operations are not defined. In addition to recording an image on the internal storage medium of a digital video camera by a remote trigger operation by an external device, the internal storage of the digital video camera is connected to an external device connected to the digital video camera via a digital interface. There is also a need to transmit images recorded on media.

A digital interface conforming to the IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) 1394 standard (see Non-Patent Documents 1 and 2) or the USB (Universal Serial Bus) standard (see Non-Patent Document 3) is known as a digital interface of a digital video camera. It has been.
IEEE Std 1394-1995, IEEE Standard for a High Performance Serial Bus, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. IEEE Std 1394a-2000, IEEE Standard for a High Performance Serial Bus-Amendment 1, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. Universal Serial Bus Specification Revision 2.0, April 27, 2000

  By the way, as a method of realizing a function of performing image recording and image transmission with a device such as a digital video camera by a remote trigger operation, when a certain command is transmitted from an external device to the device, an image is displayed inside the device. There is a method of generating and recording an image on a storage medium and transmitting it to an external device. However, the command transmitted from the external device to the device becomes a unique command for each device, and it is difficult to specify the function of the operation target device in the external device. In order to use the function of the device, Since it is necessary to know the command implementation method in advance, the control becomes complicated.

  In addition, when the device receives the above command from an external device when the internal mode of the device is changed, even if there is no video data or image data on the internal storage medium of the device, the device has video data or image data. As a result, the internal control of the device becomes complicated, and it becomes difficult to realize the functions for performing image recording and image transmission.

This onset Ming is intended to provide an image generating equipment capable of generation and transmission of still images in a form corresponding to the internal mode.

An image generation apparatus according to the present invention is an image generation apparatus capable of communicating with an external device, and includes an image generation unit that generates an image, a first reproduction unit that reproduces an image from a first storage medium , and the first A second reproduction unit that reproduces an image from a second storage medium different from the first storage medium, and an internal mode of the image generation apparatus when a predetermined command is received from the external device; In the first image input mode for inputting the received image, the image generation unit generates the first still image and receives the predetermined command from the external device. When the internal mode is the second image input mode for inputting an image reproduced from the first storage medium, the first reproduction unit is caused to generate a second still image, and the external device When the predetermined command is received, the internal mode of the image generation apparatus is a third image input mode for inputting an image reproduced from the second storage medium. Control means for generating a third still image and the first image input mode when the internal mode of the image generation apparatus when the predetermined command is received from the external device is the first image input mode. When the internal mode of the image generation apparatus when the predetermined image is transmitted to the external device and the predetermined command is received from the external device is the second image input mode, the second still image Is transmitted to the external device, and the internal mode of the image generation device when the predetermined command is received from the external device is the third image input mode. It is characterized Rukoto to have a transmitting means for transmitting the third still image to the external device.

According to the present invention, Ru can be performed generation and transmission of still images in a form corresponding to the internal mode.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[First Embodiment]
In the first embodiment of the present invention, a digital video camera (DVC) provided with a digital interface conforming to the IEEE 1394 standard will be described as an example.

  FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration in which a DVC and a PC according to the present embodiment are connected by an IEEE 1394 cable.

  In FIG. 2, a DVC 101 as an imaging device (image generation device) and a PC 103 as an external device are connected by an IEEE 1394 cable 102 as a digital interface. The DVC 101 and the PC 103 can transmit and receive data using commands defined in IEEE 1394. A command can be transmitted from the application on the PC 103 to the DVC 101 to operate the DVC 101.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the DVC 101.

  In FIG. 1, a DVC 101 includes a CCD 201 (imaging unit), a camera unit 202 (image generation unit), a control unit 203 (discrimination unit, control unit), a display unit 204, a communication unit 205 (communication unit), and a video unit 206 (image). Generating means, recording means, reproducing means) and a card unit 208 (image generating means, recording means, reproducing means). Reference numeral 207 denotes a tape (storage medium), and 209 denotes a memory card (storage medium).

  The CCD 201 is a solid-state imaging device that photoelectrically converts an optical image of a subject photographed by the DVC 101 into a video signal (electrical signal), that is, inputs a subject image. The camera unit 202 performs input video control such as converting a video signal output from the CCD 201 into a digital signal. The control unit 203 controls each part of the DVC, and executes the processes shown in the flowcharts of FIGS. 4 and 5 (first embodiment) and FIG. 8 (second embodiment) based on the program. To do. In addition to displaying video and images, the display unit 204 displays information of the DVC 101 (for example, information indicating that recording is being performed on the tape 207). The communication unit 205 performs communication control for the entire digital interface of the DVC 101.

  The video unit 206 performs control to record the video captured by the DVC 101 and input from the CCD 201 onto the tape 207 or to reproduce the video from the tape 207. The tape 207 is a sequential access storage medium that can be detachably attached to the DVC 101 and can continuously record video (moving images). The card unit 208 controls to record a still image generated from the video on the memory card 209 and to reproduce a still image from the memory card 209. The memory card 209 is a random access storage medium that can be detachably attached to the DVC 101 and can record still images and moving images.

  As internal modes of the DVC 101, there are “camera image tape recording mode”, “camera image card recording mode”, “video playback mode”, “card playback mode”, and “modeless mode”.

  In the “camera image tape recording mode”, the video imaged by the DVC 101 and input from the CCD 201 is converted into a digital signal by the camera unit 202 and transferred to the control unit 203, so that the control unit 203 passes the video unit 206 to the tape 207. It is a mode to record in.

  In the “camera image card recording mode”, a video image captured by the DVC 101 and input from the CCD 201 is converted into a digital signal by the camera unit 202 and transferred to the control unit 203, whereby the file format is transmitted from the control unit 203 via the card unit 208. In this mode, recording is performed on the memory card 209.

  In the “video playback mode”, when the tape 207 on which the video is recorded on the DVC 101 is loaded, the recorded video is played from the video unit 206 to the control unit 203 by playing the recorded video from the tape 207 by the video unit 206. It is a passing mode.

  In the “card playback mode”, when a memory card 209 in which an image file (moving image file, still image file) is recorded in the DVC 101 is loaded, the card unit 208 reads the image file from the memory card 209, In this mode, an image file is transferred from the card unit 208 to the control unit 203.

  The “modeless mode” is a mode in which each of the above modes can be freely changed by an input signal from the PC 103 to the DVC 101.

  Each of the above modes is not a change in the internal (electrical) connection form of the DVC 101, but is a convenient mode provided to limit the functions of the DVC 101 to external devices. It is not specified.

  When the video in each mode is transferred to the control unit 203, the video is displayed on the display unit 204 by the control unit 203 and transmitted to the PC 103 by the communication unit 205. Further, since the communication unit 205 can perform transmission and reception with the PC 103 at the same time, the control signal and video transmitted from the PC 103 may be transferred to the control unit 203 simultaneously with the control signal and video inside the DVC 101. The control unit 203 notifies the user by displaying necessary information on the display unit 204 according to each mode and the status of each unit, and controls each unit according to the user's operation or the operation from the PC 103. I do.

  When an operation is performed on the DVC 101 from the PC 103 as an external device, the DVC 101 defines the commands that the DVC 101 receives from the PC 103 and the operation of the DVC 101 based on the commands.

  In the above “camera image tape recording mode” and “camera image card recording mode”, when the communication unit 205 receives a command for adjusting the video input portion such as the CCD 201 from the PC 103, the control unit 204 sets the mode and unit. The CCD 201 is controlled by passing the necessary command to the camera unit 202. In addition, the control unit 203 passes the status after the operation of the camera unit 202 to the display unit 204 and the communication unit 205 and notifies the user by display on the display unit 204. In other modes as well, the control unit 203 identifies the command transmitted from the PC 103 and passes the command to each unit.

  In the present embodiment, as an example of a command transmitted from the PC 103 to the DVC 101, a command for extracting a part of a continuous video (moving image) as an image and generating as a still image in the DVC 101 is taken as an example. The remote trigger operation of the DVC 101 uses a FREEZE command defined by the IEEE 1394 camera subunit. The camera subunit is described in “AV / C Camera Subunit Specification Version 1.0”.

  FIG. 3A is a diagram showing a configuration of a FREEZE command used for remote trigger operation of the DVC 101, and FIG. 3B is a diagram showing an ON FREEZE command and an OFF FREEZE command.

  3A and 3B, when a still image is generated from continuous video by the DVC 101, an ON FREEZE command is transmitted from the PC 103 to the DVC 101 so that the DVC 101 is in an ON state while the still image is being generated. become. In this ON state, the generation of a still image in the DVC 101 is canceled by transmitting an OFF FREEZE command from the PC 103 to the DVC 101.

  Next, the operation of the DVC 101 of the present embodiment having the above configuration will be described in detail with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing processing by a remote trigger operation in each mode of the DVC 101.

  In FIG. 4, when the communication unit 205 of the DVC 101 receives a FREEZE command from the PC 103 via the IEEE 1394 cable 102 (step S401), the control unit 203 determines (confirms) the current internal mode in the DVC 101 (step S402). . When the camera unit 202 and the CCD 201 are valid, a camera image is always input as a video from the camera unit 202, and a video signal is transmitted to the display unit 204 and the communication unit 205 through the control unit 203.

  The control unit 203 confirms whether or not the memory card 209 is attached to the DVC 101 (step S403). If the memory card 209 is not attached to the DVC 101, this process ends. When the memory card 209 is attached to the DVC 101, the control unit 203 confirms whether or not the memory card 209 has a recording restriction such as write prohibition or no free space (step S404). If the recording restriction is applied to the memory card 209, this process is terminated.

  When the memory card 209 is writable and the card unit 208 is valid, the camera unit 202 generates a high-definition still image (step S405), passes it to the control unit 203, and the card unit 208 stores the memory card 209. A still image is recorded (step S406). Thereby, a high-definition still image can be generated by the DVC 101 by a remote trigger operation from the PC 103. Here, the newly generated still image is given a unique name and recorded with a name different from that of the still image already recorded on the memory card 209.

  On the other hand, when the current internal mode is determined in the DVC 101 (step S402), when the video unit 206 is valid and the video is being reproduced from the tape 207, the video signal from the video unit 206 is transmitted to the control unit 203. The same video signal is transmitted to the display unit 204 and the communication unit 205.

  When the memory card 209 is inserted into the DVC 101 and an image can be recorded on the memory card 209, the control unit 203 extracts a part from the video reproduced from the tape 207 in the video unit 206 and generates a still image. The still image generated here is transferred to the card unit 208, and the still image is recorded on the memory card 209. Thereby, a high-definition still image can be recorded by DVC101 by remote trigger operation from PC103.

  Further, when the operation state of the tape 207 is not outputting video such as fast forward or rewind in the video unit 206, even if the communication unit 205 receives the FREEZE command from the PC 103, no still image is generated. However, when the operation state of the tape 207 in the video unit 206 is a state in which a video such as playback fast-forwarding is being played back, the communication unit 205 generates a still image from the video when the FREEZE command is received from the PC 103. To the memory card 209. Here, the newly generated still image is given a unique name and recorded with a name different from that of the still image already recorded on the memory card 209.

  Further, in the case of “card playback mode” in which the card unit 208 outputs a still image or moving image file from the memory card 209, a still image is generated in the card unit 208 based on the playback from the memory card 209. Then, the generated new still image is recorded on the same memory card 209. That is, if the file being played from the memory card 209 is a still image file, the still image displayed on the display unit 204 is duplicated, and if the file being played from the memory card 209 is a moving image file, A part of the image is extracted, a new still image is generated and recorded in the memory card 209. Here, a newly generated image is given a unique name and is distinguished from the original image.

  FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing processing by a remote trigger operation in the modeless mode of the DVC 101.

  In FIG. 5, when the internal mode of the DVC 101 is an internal mode capable of transitioning to any mode such as “modeless mode”, when the DVC 101 receives a FREEZE command from the PC 103 via the IEEE 1394 cable 102 (step S501). The control unit 203 determines whether the current internal mode is the video input mode from the camera unit 202 (step S502), the video input mode from the video unit 206 (step S503), or the video input mode from the card unit 208. (Step S504) is determined, and a command is input to the unit that is inputting the video to generate a still image from the video currently being input.

  In the video input mode from the camera unit 202, the control unit 203 generates a high-definition still image in the camera unit 202 (step S505).

  In the video input mode from the video unit 206, the control unit 203 generates a part of the video being reproduced from the tape 207 in the video unit 206 as a still image (step S506).

  In the case of the video input mode from the card unit 208, the control unit 203 determines whether the file type recorded on the memory card 209 is a still image file (step S507). At 208, the still image is duplicated (step S508). If it is not a still image file, the card unit 208 generates a still image from the video being reproduced (step S509).

  The control unit 203 receives still images generated from the camera unit 202, the video unit 206, and the card unit 208 and passes them to the communication unit 205. The communication unit 205 transmits the generated new still image data to the PC 103 that has transmitted the FREEZE command via the IEEE 1394 cable 102 (step S510). In this case, there are two types of data transmission methods, ie, isochronous transfer and asynchronous transfer, as data transmission methods using the IEEE 1394 cable 102. Either data transmission method may be used for transmission.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, in a configuration in which the DVC 101 as an imaging device (image generation device) and the PC 103 as an external device are connected by the IEEE 1394 cable 102 as a digital interface, the DVC 101 is remotely triggered from the PC 103. When a command transmitted based on an operation is received, image generation and image recording in accordance with the state of the internal mode of the DVC 101 and image recording (from a reproduced image on the tape 207 are performed without complicating control as in the prior art. Can be generated and recorded on the memory card 209, and a still image can be generated from the playback moving image of the memory card 209 and recorded on the memory card 209). When the command transmitted from the PC 103 to the DVC 101 based on the remote trigger operation is a command for instructing image generation, the generated still image is recorded on the memory card 209 and transmitted to the PC 103 according to the internal mode of the DVC 101. It becomes possible.

[Second Embodiment]
In the second embodiment of the present invention, a digital video camera (hereinafter referred to as DVC) having a digital interface compliant with the USB standard will be described as an example.

  FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration in which the DVC and the PC according to the present embodiment are connected by a USB cable.

  In FIG. 6, a DVC 601 as an imaging device (image generation device) and a PC 603 as an external device are connected by a USB cable 602 as a digital interface. The DVC 601 and the PC 603 can send and receive data using commands defined by USB. A command can be transmitted from the application on the PC 603 to the DVC 601 to operate the DVC 601.

  This embodiment differs from the first embodiment described above in that a USB cable is used instead of the IEEE 1394 cable. Since the other elements of the present embodiment are the same as the corresponding ones of the first embodiment (FIG. 1) described above, description thereof is omitted.

  In the present embodiment, as the internal mode of the DVC 601, as in the first embodiment, “camera image tape recording mode” in which the video from the camera unit 202 is recorded on the tape 207 via the video unit 206. “Camera image card recording mode” for recording the video from the camera unit 202 in the file format on the memory card 209 via the card unit 208, “Video playback mode” for outputting the video from the video unit 206, There are a “card playback mode” for outputting an image and a “modeless mode” in which the internal mode can be switched by freely switching the unit configuration.

  The video and commands in each of the above modes are sent to the control unit 203, passed to the display unit 204 and the communication unit 205, and transmitted to the PC 603 as necessary. The configuration of each mode is convenient and does not limit or define the function of the DVC 601.

  In the present embodiment, as an example of a command transmitted from the PC 603 to the DVC 601, a command for generating a still image from a continuous video (moving image) by the DVC 601 according to a remote instruction is taken as an example. STILL_IMAGE_TRIGGER_CONTROL defined by USB video streaming interface control is used as a command for instructing the DVC 601 to generate a still image from a remote location. The USB video streaming is described in “Universal Serial Bus Device Class Definition For Video Devices”.

As a command to send PC 60 3 from the USB host controller to DVC601 By using the above command, it is possible to generate a still image from a continuous image in DVC601. Further, after the generation of the still image in DVC601, it is also possible to transfer the still image to the PC 60 3 of the USB host controller.

  FIG. 7A is a diagram showing a configuration of a command used for remote trigger operation of the DVC 601, and FIG. 7B is a diagram showing types of command parameters.

  7A and 7B, a plurality of types are set as command parameters. “Normal operation” is an instruction to change to a normal state (the state in which the internal mode of the DVC 601 is not changed), “Transmit still image” is an instruction to transfer a still image, and “Transmit still image via bulk pipe” is a bulk transfer of a still image. An instruction to transfer, “Abort still image transmission”, indicates an instruction to cancel the transfer.

  Next, the operation of the DVC 601 of the present embodiment having the above configuration will be described in detail with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

  FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing processing by a remote trigger operation in each mode of the DVC 601.

A case will be described in which the DVC 601 receives a trigger command that is a command for instructing generation of a still image from a remote location in each mode. In communication using the USB, the transmission and reception of data between the DVC601 the PC 60 3 of the USB host controller is a target device, performed at the initiative of the USB host controller side, the data also USB host controller showing the current state of the DVC601 Managed by the side.

8, when the communication unit 203 of the DVC601 receives a trigger command via the USB cable 602 from the PC 60 3 of the USB host controller (step S801), an instruction signal is passed from the communication unit 203 to the control unit 203, the control unit 203 Determines (confirms) the current internal mode of the DVC 601 (step S802). The control unit 203 manages which unit in the DVC 601 is valid, and changes the internal configuration representation format called a descriptor according to the unit configuration, thereby changing the internal state of the DVC 601 to the USB host controller. Notify.

  After determining the internal mode of the DVC 601, the control unit 203 instructs a valid unit to generate a still image (step S 803). For example, when the camera unit 202 is valid, a high-definition still image can be generated from the video data output from the CCD 201 by the camera unit 202, and is passed to the display unit 204 and the communication unit 205. It is possible to generate a still image with clearer and higher image quality than normal video data.

  In addition, when a video is reproduced from the tape 207 by the video unit 206 or an image is reproduced from the memory card 209 by the card unit 208, when a still image is generated, the image is reproduced from the tape 207. A portion of the image or the image being reproduced from the memory card 209 is cut out as a still image and transferred to the control unit 203. Here, the sound may be included in the still image.

  Upon receiving the still image, the control unit 203 determines whether or not the memory card 209 is inserted into the DVC 601 and the still image can be recorded on the memory card 209 (step S804), and the still image can be recorded on the memory card 209. If so, a unique name is given to the generated still image and recorded in the memory card 209 (step S805). Further, the control unit 203 determines whether a still image transfer instruction is included in the trigger command parameter (step S806). If the still command transfer instruction is included in the trigger command parameter, The generated still image is transferred to the communication unit 205 to be transferred to the USB host controller.

  The communication unit 205 transfers the generated still image to the USB host controller by the still image transfer method designated by the trigger command (step S807). Finally, the control unit 203 updates the current state of the DVC 601 (step S808), and notifies the USB host controller of the update result. By receiving the notification from the DVC 601, the USB host controller can transmit a new trigger command to the DVC 601.

  When the internal mode of the DVC 601 is “modeless mode” in which the unit configuration of the DVC 601 can be freely changed, the internal mode is changed to the internal mode designated by the USB host controller before the internal mode confirmation (step S802). It is possible to generate a still image in the unit. In addition, when transferring a still image generated by the DVC 601 to the USB host controller, whichever data transmission method is used among the bulk transfer data transmission method and the isochronous transfer data transmission method used in the USB video stream is used. It may be transferred.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, in a configuration in which the DVC 601 serving as an imaging device (image generating device) and the PC 603 serving as an external device are connected by the USB cable 602 that is a digital interface, When a command transmitted based on an operation is received, it is possible to perform image generation and image recording according to the state of the internal mode of the DVC 601 without complicating the control as in the prior art. When the command transmitted from the PC 603 to the DVC 601 based on the remote trigger operation is a command for instructing image generation, the generated still image is recorded in the memory card 209 and transmitted to the PC 603 according to the internal mode of the DVC 601. It becomes possible.

[Other embodiments]
In the first and second embodiments, as a command to be transmitted from the PC to the DVC, a command for the purpose of generating a still image from a remote location is given as an example. However, the command is not limited to this, and the DVC When a command having another purpose is received from the PC, the operation content can be changed according to the state of the internal mode of the DVC.

  In the first and second embodiments, the case where the IEEE1394 and USB digital interfaces are used has been described as an example, but the present invention is not limited to this, and IEEE802.11a, IEEE802.11b, etc. are used as digital interfaces. Even when a wireless LAN is used, the object of the present invention can be achieved. Note that the command transmitted from the external device to the DVC is changed according to the type of the digital interface.

  In the first and second embodiments, the case where the DVC and the PC perform data transmission / reception has been described as an example. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the DVC and other information processing terminals such as a PDA are used. The present invention can also be applied to cases where data transmission / reception is performed.

  The present invention supplies a software program (flowcharts of FIGS. 4, 5, and 8) for realizing the functions of the above-described embodiments to a computer or CPU, and the computer or CPU reads the supplied program. This can be accomplished by doing.

  In this case, the program is directly supplied from a storage medium storing the program, or downloaded from another computer or database (not shown) connected to the Internet, a commercial network, a local area network, or the like. Supplied.

  The form of the program may be in the form of object code, program code executed by an interpreter, script data supplied to an OS (operating system), and the like.

  The present invention also supplies a computer or CPU with a storage medium storing a software program that implements the functions of the above-described embodiments, and the computer or CPU reads and executes the program stored in the storage medium. Can also be achieved.

  In this case, the program code itself read from the storage medium realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments, and the storage medium storing the program code constitutes the present invention.

  As a storage medium for storing the program code, for example, ROM, RAM, NV-RAM, floppy (registered trademark) disk, hard disk, optical disk (registered trademark), magneto-optical disk, CD-ROM, MO, CD-R, CD -RW, DVD-ROM, DVD-RAM, DVD-RW, DVD + RW, magnetic tape, nonvolatile memory card, etc.

  The function of the above-described embodiment is not only by executing the program code read from the computer, but the OS or the like running on the computer performs part or all of the actual processing based on the instruction of the program code. Can also be realized.

  Furthermore, the present invention can be achieved by downloading a software program that implements the above-described embodiment from a database on a network or a homepage by a communication program, and reading and executing this program.

  The above program can also be supplied by connecting to a homepage on the Internet using a browser of a client computer and downloading the computer program itself or a compressed file including an automatic installation function from the homepage to a storage medium such as a hard disk. .

  The above program distributes a storage medium such as a CD-ROM stored after encrypting the program code to the user, and provides a key for decrypting the encryption from the homepage via the Internet to the user who has cleared a predetermined condition. It can also be provided by downloading the information and using the key information to execute the encrypted program code and install it on the computer.

  The functions of the embodiments described above can also be realized by dividing the program code into a plurality of files and downloading each file from a different home page. That is, a WWW server that allows a plurality of users to download a program file for realizing the functional processing of the present invention on a computer also constitutes the present invention.

  Further, the functions of the above-described embodiment are obtained by writing a program read from a storage medium into a function expansion board inserted in a computer or a memory provided in a function expansion unit connected to the computer, and It can also be realized by the CPU or MPU provided in the function expansion board or function expansion unit executing part or all of the actual processing based on the instructions of the program.

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of DVC which concerns on the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is the schematic which shows the structure which connected DVC and PC by the IEEE1394 cable. (A) is a figure which shows the structure of the FREEZE command used for remote trigger operation of DVC, (b) is a figure which shows an ON FREEZE command and an OFF FREEZE command. It is a flowchart which shows the process by the remote trigger operation in each mode of DVC. It is a flowchart which shows the process by the remote trigger operation in the modeless mode of DVC. It is the schematic which shows the structure which connected DVC and PC based on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention with the USB cable. (A) is a figure which shows the structure of the command used for the remote trigger operation of DVC, (b) is a figure which shows the parameter type of a command. It is a flowchart which shows the process by the remote trigger operation in each mode of DVC.

Explanation of symbols

101 DVC
102 IEEE 1394 cable 103 PC
201 CCD
202 Camera Unit 203 Control Unit 204 Display Unit 205 Communication Unit 206 Video Unit 207 Tape 208 Card Unit 209 Memory Card 601 DVC
602 USB cable 603 PC

Claims (2)

An image generation device capable of communicating with an external device,
Image generating means for generating an image;
First reproducing means for reproducing an image from a first storage medium;
Second reproducing means for reproducing an image from a second storage medium different from the first storage medium;
If the internal mode of the image generating apparatus when receiving a predetermined command from the external device is the first image input mode for inputting an image generated by the image generating means, the image generating means A second image input mode for inputting an image reproduced from the first storage medium when the predetermined command is received from the external device and the internal mode of the image generation device is the internal mode when the predetermined command is received from the external device The second reproduction image is generated by the first reproduction means, and the internal mode of the image generation apparatus when the predetermined command is received from the external device is the second storage medium. Control means for causing the second reproduction means to generate a third still image in the third image input mode for inputting an image reproduced from
When the internal mode of the image generation apparatus when the predetermined command is received from the external device is the first image input mode, the first still image is transmitted to the external device, and the external device When the internal mode of the image generation apparatus when the predetermined command is received from the second image input mode is transmitted, the second still image is transmitted to the external device, and the external device transmits the predetermined command. If the internal mode of the image generation device when receiving a command is the third image input mode, having a <br/> and transmitting means for transmitting said third still image to the external device An image generation apparatus characterized by that. The image generation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first storage medium is a sequential access storage medium, and the second storage medium is a random access storage medium.

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