JPH02183675A - Memory card and electronic camera - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To allow a camera main body or a reproducing device to identify the information and to attain write readout processing suitable for a memory card by storing kind information on the memory card. CONSTITUTION:The memory card consists of a memory section 101, a pin 102, an identification code generating section 103, and a power supply switching circuit 104 or the like, the identification code generating section 103 pulls up or pulls down the termination resistor of the input output 2-way pin 102 of the memory card to encode the kind of the memory card. Then the identification code includes the capacity of the memory card, the constitution of picture data, the hardware constitution in the inside of the memory card, kinds of a semiconductor memory and information such as the mode. Thus, the signal processing for the camera main body and the reproducing device is decided by having only to load the card and the memory card is accessed in the write readout timing proper to the kinds of the memory 101.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Object of the Invention] (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to a memory card for recording still images and an electronic camera using this memory card.

(Prior Art) A digital electronic camera is being considered in which a still image signal is recorded on a memory card equipped with a semiconductor memory and a backup battery. This is an image signal that is converted into an electrical signal by a solid-state image element such as a CCD, which is then processed as an image signal, digitized, and stored in a memory card through digital signal processing.The digital image signal is read out from the memory card in a playback machine and reproduced as a playback signal. This system outputs data to a monitor after processing.

The electronic camera body and the memory card are connected by signal lines for power, ground, image data, memory address, control, etc. The semiconductor memory in the memory card has S
RAMSDRAM, EEPI? It is possible to install OM, etc., but these have different bH configuration timing and capacity. Video signals include NTSC, PAL, SEC0M, and high-definition TV, and there are multiple data arrays that make up an image.The camera body and playback device detect these and perform write/read processing appropriate for the memory card. A means of identification is required.

According to the conventional method, the camera itself is set (adjusted) to match the memory card's bit configuration timing, capacity, mode (black and white or color), etc., to the specifications of the memory card. There is the complexity of having to change the settings each time the device is replaced. Even though we are currently living in the age of auto, it can only be said that it is going against the times for users to make adjustments to match the memory card one by one.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) As mentioned above, there were problems such as adjusting the camera one by one according to the specifications of the memory card.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of these problems, it is an object of the present invention to provide a memory card and an electronic camera that allow adjustment of the camera simply by installing the memory card.

[Structure of the invention]

(Means for Solving the Problems) The present invention stores type information in a memory card, and the camera body or playback device identifies this information and performs writing and reading processes suitable for the memory card. .

(Function) When a memory card is inserted into the electronic camera body or playback device, or when the camera body or playback device is turned on with a memory card installed, this type information of the memory card is read and this information is stored. is transmitted to the camera body or the playback controller.

From this information, the camera body or playback device determines the capacity of the memory card, the configuration of image data, the hardware configuration inside the memory card, the type and mode of the semiconductor memory, etc.

The number of records that can be recorded is determined from the capacity of the memory card, and the data structure and memory card hardware configuration determines the signal processing of the camera body and playback device, and the write/read timing is determined according to the type of semiconductor memory. It is possible to access the memory card and further select the signal to be stored depending on the mode (YC in black and white mode, YC in color mode, etc.).

(Example) Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the memory card of the present invention. This memory card has memory ff101 in bin 10.
2 and identification code generation section 103. It consists of a power supply switching circuit 104 and the like. The identification code generating section 103 is configured to pull up or pull down the terminal resistor of the input/output bidirectional bin of the memory card to express the type of the memory card in a coded manner. This identification code includes information such as the capacity of the memory card, the configuration of image data, the hardware configuration inside the memory card, the type of semiconductor memory, and the mode (monochrome mode, color mode, etc.). This information can be obtained by setting the control signal connected to the OE (output enable) of the bidirectional buffer to "L" level, setting the bidirectional buffer to high impedance, and reading the level of the bidirectional bin. This identification code only needs to be read once when the card is inserted into the electronic camera body or playback device, or during the initial settings when the power is turned on with the card inserted. The bin can be used as another signal line. FIG. 1 shows an example in which the bins are also used as image data bins as bidirectional signals.

FIG. 2 is an example of applying an identification code to an output bin.

The identification code is read by setting the identification code reading terminal to L'' and setting the buffer connected to the output pin to high impedance.The image data output signal is given here as an example of the output pin.

FIG. 3 is an example in which an identification code is applied to an input pin. In this example, there is no need for an identification code reading terminal to make the buffers used for input/output pins and output pins high impedance, but some input pins are prohibited from being coded because they are related to the operation of the memory card. There is also a signal line. The example in FIG. 3 uses address lines that can be either pull-up or pull-down. Regarding FIGS. 1 to 3, a combination of each is also possible.

In Figures 1 to 3, the memory card components are memory, buffer, power supply switching circuit, and pull-up/pull-down resistors, but in Figures 4 and 5, the memory control circuit is installed inside the memory card. This is an example of putting it in. In both figures, an identification code is attached to the input/output pin, and the enable control of the human output buffer is output by an external control signal pin in FIG. 4, and by a memory control circuit in FIG.

Here, an example is shown in which the input/output pin is shared by the image data and the address. This is a system in which the start address for writing or reading is first sent to the memory control, and then the image data is transferred, and the memory control is in charge of this.

Both figures show examples with input/output pins and input pins, but of course examples with output pins can be considered, applications in which identification codes are also attached to input and output pins, and combinations of these can also be considered.

FIG. 6 is an example in which a part of the digital signal processing circuit is mounted in a memory card.

For this digital signal processing, a data compression circuit, a data restoration circuit, a one-dimensional/two-dimensional filter data interpolation circuit, etc. can be considered. The memory card control performs this digital signal processing and memory control. Here, too, we have shown an example in which identification codes are attached to input/output pins. also,
An example with output pins can be considered, and it is also possible to code input pins and output pins, and combinations of these can also be considered.

It is also conceivable that the memory control shown in FIG. 4.5 and the memory card control shown in FIG. 6 issue a command to output an identification code and read it into the electronic camera body or a playback device. For example, this is possible if the power supply switching circuit switches from the memory card's own backup battery to the power source from the electronic camera body or playback device, outputs a ready signal that allows access to the memory card, and at the same time outputs an identification code. becomes.

An example is shown in FIG.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an electronic camera system using a memory card as described above.

Shutter button 202 attached to the electronic camera body
The shutter signal is supplied to the controller 210, and when supplied, the image signal obtained from the solid-state image sensor 201 such as COD is passed through the amplifier 202, analog signal processing 203, AD 204, and processed by the digital signal processing circuit 205. After receiving the data, the data is stored in the memory card 211 via the card interface circuit 206.

The playback device reads the memory card image signal through the memory card interface 213, processes it by the digital signal processing circuit 213, and stores it in the frame memory 214.
be taken in. The image data in the frame memory 214 is read out in real time and transferred to the DA 218 and encoder 21B.
It becomes a video signal and is displayed on the monitor 219.

As mentioned above, in the initial settings of both the electronic camera body and the playback device, identification data is read from the memory card through the card interface, and the controllers 210 and 2 read the identification data from the memory card through the card interface.
Enter 18.

The controllers 210 and 218 decode the identification data and determine the type of memory card 211. The controller 210 of the electronic camera body learns the maximum number of sheets to be written in the attached memory card 210, and also sets the signal processing circuit and timing suitable for this memory card to perform writing.

In identifying monochrome mode/color mode, processing such as making the encoding compression rate for monochrome mode lower than that for color mode is performed. The controller 218 of the playback device reads out the image data using a signal processing circuit at a timing suitable for the memory card, processes it into a video signal, and outputs the video signal to the monitor 219.

The mode will be described in more detail. Consider an example of a memory card (hereinafter referred to as a monochrome card) that stores only a luminance signal Y. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing in detail the circuit block diagram of the camera section shown in FIG. 8. In this figure, after AD conversion, the digital signal is converted into a Y signal and a C signal by a YC processing unit 301, which are subsampled after passing through two-dimensional filters 302 and 303, and then converted into signals by compression circuits 304 and 305. This means that the image is compressed. The sub-sampling method here is to sample the array shown in FIG. 10 as shown in FIG.
considered DPCM as an example. Each YC signal is alternately stored in the memory card by the YC switching unit 306 in the memory card interface 206, for example, as shown in the upper row of FIG. 12(a). Figure 12(a) shows the case without compression, and when receiving only subsampling, as shown in Figure 12(b), subsampling and DPCM
It is assumed that the data to be subjected to L/2 compression is stored on the card in response to an address signal from the address generator 307 as shown in FIG. 12(e).

Further, the structure of the card is as shown in FIG. 1, and one address is 8 bits.

Now, when the black-and-white card 211 is inserted into the camera, or when the power switch is turned on with the card installed, the camera generates an identification code reading signal by the memory card control signal generator 308, In FIG. 1, this terminal is set to "L")) The potential of the data signal terminal is read by the identification conid register 309 in the memory card interface. This information goes into the controller and the camera detects that the memory card is a black and white card.

The controller sends a setting signal to the memory card interface to store only black and white data on the card. YC
The chroma signal that enters the switching section becomes invalid, and as shown in Fig. 12 (a)
~(C) As shown in the lower row, the address and write signal are also set so that the address containing the chroma is closed and the Y signal is entered. Switches 301 and 311 are provided so that the compression ratio can be selected depending on the mode. For example, in a black and white mode card, Y is set to select no compression. The same applies to playback machines.

As another example, if a memory card has a 4-bit configuration for one address, DPCλ (dedicated to 1/2 compression) can be coded, and the controller can set it to the DPCM output by switching the input to the memory card IF, for example, the 13th Store the data in the memory card as shown in the figure.

In this way, by simply preparing a memory card suitable for the intended use and inserting it into a camera or playback device, a system can be constructed in which a signal processing circuit suitable for the memory card is automatically set. In addition, as a method of identifying the card, a part of the memory card may be structured so that it can be structurally determined that it is a black and white card, so that the card can be identified as a black and white card. For example, a cutout may be provided in a part of a black and white card.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a highly reliable memory card and electric camera that do not require any manual operation to identify the memory card.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a memory card according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIGS. 2 to 7 are diagrams showing configuration examples of a memory card according to different embodiments, and FIG. 9 is a block diagram of an electronic camera system that shows FIG. 8 in detail; FIGS. 10 and 11 are diagrams showing examples of sub-rings of ° signals; FIGS. 12 to 13 are diagrams showing a method of storing signals for a color card and a monochrome card. Agent Patent Attorney Nori Ken Ken Yudo Mitsuyuki Matsuyama 103 Stripped N''! A゛) Code memory card fig. -7-ρ-Soseichiya Hibisu Card '7 Torus Diagram

Claims (3)

[Claims] (1) It has a first storage section that stores a still image signal, and a second storage section that stores the type of still image signal stored in this storage section, and the second storage section stores the first storage section. A memory card characterized in that a signal to be stored in a storage section is set. (2) An electronic device that uses the memory card according to claim 1 and stores a still image signal obtained based on a photographing command from a shutter button in a predetermined first storage section of the memory card. It is characterized by comprising means for identifying the type stored in the second storage section, and means for setting a still image signal corresponding to the type identified by this means and storing it in the first storage section. electronic camera. (3) The electronic camera according to claim 2, wherein the type of the memory card is read when the memory card is attached or when a power switch is turned on with the memory card attached.