JP4468603B2 - Electronic camera - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an electronic camera capable of exchanging data with an external device.
[0002]
[Prior art]
An electronic camera is usually capable of communicating with a device such as a personal computer or a printer, and displays image data on a personal computer monitor via a communication line (for example, a connection cable) or a personal computer. It can be stored in a storage device in a computer, or image data can be stored in a printer. In such an electronic camera, when image data communication is performed by connecting the electronic camera to another device, it is necessary to switch the mode of the electronic camera from the shooting mode to the communication mode, but this operation is relatively complicated. There is a problem that.
In order to solve this problem, an electronic camera that detects a connection between an electronic camera and an external device and switches between a photographing mode and a communication mode according to the result is proposed (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-17993). However, although this electronic camera has means for detecting the connection between the connection terminal of the electronic camera and the connector of the cable, it actually controls whether data can be transferred by communication. is not. Therefore, even if the connector is normally connected but communication is not normally performed, the data is kept waiting as it is, and there is a possibility that the command is not accepted. In addition, when the operation unit of the electronic camera is mistakenly operated during communication, there is a possibility that the setting of the electronic camera is different from that set before photographing. This problem is particularly noticeable in the case of fixed dial mode setting. In addition, when the communication mode is set, the user determines that the communication is normally performed. Therefore, even when the communication is not performed, the power is wasted, and the battery is used as the power. For such electronic cameras, there is a disadvantage that the battery is wasted.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
As described above, when the operation unit being used in the communication operation is operated, a setting different from the setting before photographing may be set. This is particularly noticeable with fixed dials. Moreover, when using only by communication, power supply may be unnecessarily consumed against the intention of the user.
[0004]
An object of the present invention is to provide an electronic camera with improved user operability and the like when communication is not normally performed.
[0005]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention has taken the following measures.
[0007]
Electronic camera according to the present invention is an electronic camera capable of communicating with the connected external device, a connection detecting means for detecting a connection state between the external device, setting of an operation mode according to the reproducing mode and the recording discriminating means for discriminating, and detects that the connection with the external device is interrupted by said connection detecting means, when the mode in the determination means has determined that the playback mode is set, the said electronic camera And power control means for controlling the power to be turned off.
[0008]
Preferred embodiments of each of the above electronic cameras are as follows. In addition, each following embodiment may be applied independently and may be applied in combination as appropriate.
(1) The apparatus further comprises switching means for switching to the set mode when it is determined by the determining means that the mode related to recording is set.
[0009]
(2) The system further comprises notification means for notifying that the connection detection means has disconnected from the external device.
[0011]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of an electronic camera according to the present invention.
[0012]
The optical image of the subject that has passed through the lens 11 is converted into an electric signal by the CCD 12 and converted into an analog image signal by the imaging circuit 13. The analog image signal is converted into a digital image signal (hereinafter also referred to as “image information”) by the A / D converter 14 and temporarily stored in the volatile built-in memory 25. The built-in memory 25 is a high-speed SDRAM (Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory), for example, and is also used as a work area for image processing to be described later. The image processing circuit 21 performs processing such as conversion of color information of image information temporarily stored in the built-in memory 25 and conversion of the number of pixels. Then, the image information subjected to various image processing in the image processing circuit 21 is JPEG compressed, for example, by the compression / decompression unit 23 and recorded in the removable memory 20 such as smart media.
[0013]
Further, when displaying a captured image, the image information after image processing is displayed by the LCD driver 31 driving and controlling the image display LCD 30.
[0014]
When displaying an image recorded in the removable memory 20, the image is decompressed by the compression / decompression unit 23, for example, the image processing circuit 21 performs predetermined image processing, and the image is captured in the same manner as in the case of shooting. The image recorded on the display LCD 30 is displayed. The image processing circuit 21 includes a white balance adjustment circuit (AWB) 22, and the AWB 22 performs white balance adjustment on the captured image.
The main CPU 40 reads the basic control program of the electronic camera from the nonvolatile memory 41 such as a flash memory and controls the entire electronic camera.
[0015]
For example, the sub CPU 45 receives an input from the operation unit 46 including a cross key, a jump key, and a release button (not shown), and performs control according to the input. The sub CPU 45 also controls a power supply unit (not shown) to perform power management of the entire electronic camera. Further, the sub CPU 45 controls the strobe control circuit 26 to control the light emission of the strobe 27 according to an instruction from the operation unit 46 or an instruction from an automatic exposure adjustment circuit (not shown). The preliminary light emission of the strobe 27 is also controlled by the strobe control circuit 26 based on an instruction from the sub CPU 45. Further, the sub CPU 45 controls the power supply unit 47 to perform power saving mode, power on / off control, and the like.
[0016]
The external I / F 50 exchanges data with an external device (not shown) (for example, a printer, a personal computer, etc.). The external device is connected to the electronic camera via the external I / F terminal 51. Detection of the connection state with the external device is performed by the external I / F 50.
[0017]
The operation of the electronic camera according to the present invention configured as described above will be described. FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation of the electronic camera according to the present invention.
[0018]
First, it is checked whether or not the connection with the external device is normal (step A1), and when the connection with the external device is cut off (that is, a communication error or the like), the fact is notified (step A2). ). This notification may be displayed on the image display LCD 30 or may be notified by a sound such as a beep. Next, it is determined whether or not the operation mode is the reproduction mode (step A3). If the operation mode is the reproduction mode, the power is turned off (step A4) and the process is terminated. In step A3, if it is not the playback mode, it is determined whether or not it is another operation mode, for example, a mode related to shooting (step A5). If it is a mode related to shooting, it returns to the mode set before communication, Alternatively, the mode shifts to a predetermined operation mode that is set to shift when communication with the external device is interrupted in advance (step A6). In step A5, if the mode is not for shooting, the power is turned off (step A4).
[0019]
As described above, according to the present invention, since various processes are performed when the connection state with the external device is monitored and the connection is disconnected, the power saving operation is performed while taking advantage of the photographing opportunity. Can do.
[0020]
The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments. For example, when the connection with the external device is disconnected, various operations are set depending on the mode, but the power may be turned off immediately when the communication is disconnected. In addition, although various operations are automatically performed after the notification is once performed, the user may wait for the operation after the notification. Of course, various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.
[0021]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, since it is detected that the connection with the external device is disconnected and it is determined that the playback mode is set, the electronic camera is controlled to be turned off. chances are while alive, it is possible to ing to perform the saving electric operation. Further , since the notification is made when the connection with the external device is cut off, the power supply is not left unattended and unnecessary power consumption can be prevented.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of an electronic camera according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation of the electronic camera according to the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
11 ... Lens 12 ... CCD
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 13 ... Imaging circuit 14 ... A / D converter 20 ... Detachable memory 21 ... Image processing circuit 22 ... White balance adjustment circuit (AWB)
23 ... Compression / decompression unit 25 ... Built-in memory 26 ... Strobe control circuit 27 ... Strobe 30 ... Image display LCD
31 ... LCD driver 40 ... Main CPU
41 ... Nonvolatile memory 45 ... Sub CPU
46 ... Operation unit 47 ... Power supply unit 50 ... External I / F
51 ... External I / F terminal

Claims (3)

An electronic camera capable of communicating with a connected external device,
Connection detecting means for detecting a connection state with the external device;
Discriminating means for discriminating the setting of the operation mode related to the reproduction mode and recording;
When the connection detection unit detects that the connection with the external device is disconnected, and the determination unit determines that the mode is set to the playback mode, the electronic camera is turned off. Power control means for controlling
An electronic camera characterized by comprising: 2. The electronic camera according to claim 1, wherein when it is determined that the recording mode is set by the determining unit, the mode is switched to the mode set before the communication is performed by connecting to the external device. An electronic camera further comprising switching means . 3. The electronic camera according to claim 1 , further comprising notifying means for notifying that the connection detecting means has disconnected from the external device .

Images