JPH01147976A - Image pickup device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To allow the operator to recognize number of maximum pickup number in response to a set effective digit number by setting digital effective digit of an image pickup signal variably and storing the image pickup signal set variable into a storage means. CONSTITUTION:A control circuit 8-5 outputs a corresponding maximum pickup allowable number to a counter C depending on the on/off state of switches 8-1-8-3 indicating the pickup mode indicated by the operator. The counter C outputs the inputted maximum allowable number on a display device 15 via a display control circuit 14 and the maximum pickup number is recognized from the display device 15. Moreover, the present pickup number and the maximum pickup number are compared (11) and when it is detected the present pickup number reaches the maximum pickup number, since a lock signal is outputted from the comparator 11 to the optical system control circuit 10, the optical system control circuit 10 inhibits the succeeding pickup in response to the input of the lock signal.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to an imaging device that converts a captured image into an electrical signal and then records it in a storage device.

[Prior Art] It is generally known that an imaging device called an electronic still video camera records imaging results on a magnetic sheet. However, conventional imaging devices of this type have the disadvantage of being bulky, and electronic stills that record imaging results in nonvolatile semiconductor memory, such as battery-backed random access memory (RAM), have been developed. Video cameras have also been developed.

However, when a recording medium such as a magnetic sheet or a semiconductor memory is incorporated into the main body of the device, the recording capacity of the recording medium is limited. Memory will eventually run out.

[Problem that the invention attempts to solve] However, electronic still video cameras are used for people.

It is used not only to take pictures of landscapes, but also as a manual imaging device for simple copying machines and computers. When playing videos of people and landscapes, imaging information, such as brightness information related to gradation, requires approximately 8 bits (binary) in terms of significant digits, but still video cameras are used as human-powered equipment for copying machines and computers. If you use
The number of significant digits of luminance information is often about 2 bits, and it is required to capture a larger number of images than to obtain high-quality images.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an imaging apparatus that can eliminate the above-mentioned drawbacks and increase the number of images taken depending on the imaging conditions.

Still another object is to provide an imaging apparatus that can determine the maximum number of images that have been increased.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve such an object, the first aspect of the present invention provides an imaging means that captures a subject image by photoelectric conversion and outputs the captured result as a digital value. , a number of significant digits indicating means for indicating the number of significant digits of the digital value, a conversion means for converting the digital value so as to correspond to the number of significant digits indicated by the number of significant digits indicating means, and a number of significant digits converted by the conversion means. It is characterized by comprising a storage means for storing digital values.

In a second embodiment of the present invention, there is provided an imaging means for capturing a subject image by photoelectric conversion and outputting the imaged result as a digital value, a number of significant digits indicating means for indicating the number of significant digits of the digital value, and a conversion means for converting a digital value to correspond to the number of significant digits indicated by the number indication means; a storage means for storing the digital value converted by the conversion means; and a storage capacity of the storage means and the validity of the digital value. The present invention is characterized by comprising a display means for displaying the maximum number of images that can be taken, which is determined from the number of digits.

[Function] In the first embodiment of the present invention, the converting means converts the number of significant digits of the value of the digital video signal into the number of significant digits indicated by the number of effective digits indicating means. By reducing the number of pixels, the total number of bits of the digital video signal for one screen is reduced, and thus video signals for multiple screens can be stored in the storage means.

In the second form of the present invention, in addition to the nineteenth form,
Since the number of images that can be taken is displayed, the photographer can take more reliable photographs.

[Example] Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows the basic configuration of an embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 100 denotes an imaging means for imaging a claimed subject image by photoelectric conversion and outputting the imaging result as a digital value. Reference numeral 110 denotes a number of effective digits indicating means for indicating the number of effective digits of the digital value. Reference numeral 120 denotes conversion means for converting the digital value to correspond to the number of significant digits designated by the number of effective digits designation means 110.

130 is a storage means for storing the digital value converted by the conversion means 120. 140 is a display means for displaying the maximum number of images that can be taken, which is determined from the storage capacity of the storage means 130 and the number of significant digits of the digital value.

FIG. 2 shows a specific example of the configuration of this embodiment.

In Figure 2, 1 indicates the subject image R (red), G (
This is an image signal input circuit that performs photoelectric conversion into video signals of green) and B (blue). The image signal input circuit 1 includes an image sensor 1-1 that photoelectrically converts a subject image into R, G, and B signals, and a driver l-2 and a driver l- that drive the image sensor 1-1.
It is mainly composed of a clock generator 1-3 which supplies a synchronization signal to the clock generator 2.

The image signal input circuit 1 receives a field/frame switching signal input from the instruction circuit 8 to the driver 1-2.
Outputs the R, G, and B signals of the screen in field units or frame units.

A signal processing circuit 2 processes the RlG and B signals output from the image signal input circuit 1.

The signal processing circuit 2 includes a signal processing circuit 2-1 that converts R, G, and B signals into digital luminance signals (Y signals) and color difference signals, and a switching circuit that switches the color difference signals not to be transmitted to the AD conversion circuit 2-3. It has 2-2. The output signal of the signal processing circuit 2-1 is selected as a combination of the Y signal and the color difference signal or only the Y signal in accordance with a color/monochrome switching signal input from the instruction circuit 8 to the signal processing circuit 2.

Reference numeral 3 denotes an effective digit number switching circuit as a conversion means according to this embodiment, which switches the effective digit number (bit number) of the digital signal output from the signal processing circuit 2. The number of effective digits switching circuit 3 outputs from the signal processing circuit 2, for example, 8. Latch circuit 3 that temporarily stores the brightness signal of the bit
It has a latch circuit 3-2 that temporarily stores the upper two bits of the -1 and 8-bit luminance signals. Which latch circuit's luminance signal is to be temporarily stored is selected by the changeover switch 3-3 based on the effective digit number switching signal input from the instruction circuit 8 to the effective digit number switching circuit 3.

Reference numeral 5 denotes a memory for storing the luminance signal temporarily stored in the effective digit number switching circuit 3. A memory address of the memory 5 is set by the storage control circuit 4. Memory control circuit 4
Address counter A sequentially indicates the memory address of the 8-bit signal temporarily stored in the latch circuit 3-1, and address counter B sequentially indicates the memory address of the 2-bit signal temporarily stored in the latch circuit 3-2. and has.

Address counters A and B are selected based on the above-mentioned effective digit number switching signal.

6 is a D/A converter that converts the readout output of the memory 5 from digital to analog. Reference numeral 7 denotes an encoder that converts the output signal of the D/A converter 6 into, for example, a composite image (video) signal of the NTSC standard.

The output video signal from the encoder 7 is sent to a video player (not shown) and is played back. Further, the digital signal output from the memory 5 is sent to a magnetic recording device (not shown),
It is recorded on a floppy disk, etc.

8 is an instruction circuit for instructing the shooting mode. Instruction circuit 8
has a control circuit 8-5 as effective digit number indicating means for outputting a switching signal to each section according to the imaging mode instructed by the instruction switches 8-1 to 8-3.

The control circuit 8-5 includes (:Ptl, ROM.

A decoder etc. can be used, and the instruction switch 8-1
It is sufficient to use a device that generates a predetermined on/off switching signal according to the on/off combinations of 8-3.

The instruction switch 8-1 instructs whether to perform field photography or frame photography. The instruction switch 8-2 instructs either a normal color photography mode (camera mode) or a black and white photography mode without gradation expression (monochrome mode).

The instruction switch 8-3 selects a high number of effective digits (
camera mode) and a low number of effective digits (copy mode).

9 is a release for instructing the start of shooting;
When pressed, the shutter 10 is activated via the optical system control circuit 10.
-1 and throttle 1O-2 are activated. 11 is a comparison circuit that detects whether the number of shots taken by the electronic still video camera has reached the maximum allowable number; when the number of shots reaches the maximum allowable number, it sends a lock signal to the optical system control circuit 10 to prohibit shooting. and output it.

12 is a control circuit 8- which transmits information instructing the maximum allowable number of images to be taken;
5 is a counter that temporarily stores the information and outputs this information to the comparison circuit 11. Reference numeral 13 denotes a counter that inputs a photographing end signal for one screen from the optical system control circuit IO, counts the number of photographed images, and outputs the counting result to the comparison circuit 11. The number of shots counted by the counters 12 and 13 and the maximum allowable number of shots are displayed on the display 15 via the display control circuit 14.

The operation of this embodiment in such a configuration will be explained.

For example, when the operator selects a field image using the field/frame instruction switch 8-1 as shown in FIG. 3, the control circuit 8-5 outputs a switching signal instructing field photography to the driver 1-2. do. Therefore, the number of video signals in one screen obtained from the image sensor l-1 is % of the number of frame images.

Next, when the operator selects the monochrome mode using the color/monochrome instruction switch 8-2, the control circuit 8-5 outputs. In response to the color/monochrome switching signal, the switching circuit 2-2 separates the color difference signal, and only the luminance signal is AD.
converted.

Furthermore, when the operator selects the color mode, the switching circuit 2-2 is disconnected by the color/monochrome switching signal output from the control circuit 8-5, and the color/monochrome switching signal output from the signal processing circuit 2-1 is disconnected. An 8-bit luminance signal having a brightness is stored in the memory 5 via the latch circuit 3-1.

'Next, when the operator selects the copy mode (see Figure 3) using the effective number of digits indicating switch 8-3, the latch circuit 3-2 is selected and the 8-bit data output from the signal processing circuit 2 is The luminance signal is compressed to 2 bits and stored in memory 5. Also, when camera mode is selected,
The latch circuit 3-1 is selected, and the 8-bit luminance signal output from the signal processing circuit 2 is stored in the memory 5.

Further, in this embodiment, signals with different numbers of bits are stored in the memory 5 by the address counters 3-3, 3-4. However, if a shift register is used for the latch circuits 3-1 and 3-2, for example, the 2
The bit luminance signal is sequentially stored in the shift register, and when the recorded luminance signal becomes 8 bits, the contents of the shift register are stored in the memory 5 as 8 bits, and the latch circuit 3-1 stores the 8-bit luminance signal. If the storage timing is controlled by the control circuit 8-5 so that the data is stored in the memory 5 as is, the number of address counters can be reduced to one.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the number of effective digits switching circuit 3
In the above, the number of effective digits of the luminance signal is compressed by the latch circuit 3-2, but when the luminance signal is converted from analog to digital in the AD conversion circuit 2-3, it has two conversion ranges of 8 bits/2 bits. The number of output bits may be selected in accordance with the effective digit number switching signal using a D/D converter.

Next, the usage pattern of this embodiment will be explained.

If you need clear images even if the number of shots is small, select frame mode, camera mode, and color mode. Next, if you want to increase the number of shots even if the image quality is slightly degraded, you can approximately double the number of shots by switching from frame mode to field mode in the setting mode described above.

Furthermore, if you want to increase the number of shots for memos of information regardless of the image quality, you can increase the number of shots by setting the copy mode, field mode, or monochrome mode.

Therefore, according to this embodiment, the number of captured images can be increased even in a memory with a fixed memory capacity depending on the usage conditions of captured images, and the electronic still camera can be used for multiple purposes.

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be explained.

In FIG. 2, the control circuit 8-5 outputs the maximum allowable number of images to the counter C according to the on/off state of the instruction switches 8-1 to 8-3 in accordance with the photographing mode specified by the operator. Since the counter C outputs the manually-operated maximum allowable number of images to be taken to the display 15 via the display control circuit 14, the operator can know the maximum number of images to be taken in each mode from the display 15.

Further, in the comparison circuit 11, the current number of shots is compared with the maximum number of shots, and when the comparison circuit 11 detects that the current number of shots has reached the maximum number of shots, the comparison circuit 11 sends a signal to the optical system. Since a lock signal is output to the control circuit 10, the optical system control circuit 10 prohibits subsequent photographing in accordance with the manual input of the lock signal.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, in the first embodiment of the present invention, the number of effective digits of the digital value of the imaging signal is variably set, and the variably set imaging signal is stored in the storage means. So,
The effect is that the number of images to be photographed can be increased as desired.

In the second embodiment of the present invention, in addition to the first embodiment, the display means displays the number of shots that can be stored in the storage means, so that the operator can This provides the advantage of being able to know the number of shots taken.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a basic configuration example of an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a specific configuration example of an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is an external example of an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Image signal input circuit, 2... Signal processing circuit, 3... Significant digit number switching circuit, 5... Memory, 8... Instruction circuit, 15... Display device. Figure 1: Block diagram of Honyumei No. 2 Takashi b A row

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1) Imaging means for capturing a subject image by photoelectric conversion and outputting the captured result as a digital value; effective digit number indicating means for indicating the number of effective digits of the digital value; It is characterized by comprising a converting means for converting the digital value to correspond to the number of effective digits indicated by the number of digits indicating means, and a storage means for storing the digital value converted by the converting means. imaging device. 2) In the imaging device according to claim 1, the conversion means converts only the digital value related to the luminance information in the imaged result to correspond to the number of effective digits specified by the number of effective digits instruction means. An imaging device characterized by converting into. 3) In the imaging device according to claim 1 or 2, the imaging means has a selection means for selecting an output image unit, and according to an instruction from the selection means, the imaging result is determined in field units. and an imaging device that selectively outputs either one of the imaging results in units of frames. 4) In the imaging device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, the imaging means outputs only the luminance information in the imaging result, or outputs the imaging result as the luminance information. and the second to select either output as color information.
An imaging device comprising a selection means, and selectively outputs only the brightness information or the brightness information and the color information according to an instruction from the second selection means. 5) In the imaging device according to claim 4,
The imaging apparatus is characterized in that the number of effective digits instructing means instructs the number of effective digits in response to an instruction from the second selection means. 6) Imaging means for capturing a subject image by photoelectric conversion and outputting the imaged result as a digital value, a number of effective digits indicating means for indicating the number of effective digits of the digital value, and an instruction by the number of effective digits indicating means. a conversion means for converting the digital value to correspond to the number of significant digits, a storage means for storing the digital value converted by the conversion means, and a storage capacity of the storage means and a corresponding number of the digital value. What is claimed is: 1. An imaging device comprising: display means for displaying the maximum number of images that can be captured, determined from the number of effective digits. 7) The imaging device according to claim 6, wherein the imaging means prohibits subsequent imaging when the number of images that can be taken during imaging reaches the number of images that can be taken. Device.