JPH0326078A - Digital picture recording and reproducing system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent copy without permission by providing a control means comparing an inputted identification code with an identification code stored in a memory IC of a memory card to discriminate the propriety of access to the memory card. CONSTITUTION:A memory card 2 is loaded to a picture recording and reproducing device 1 to connect terminals 3, 4, then power is supplied to the memory card 2, a memory IC control circuit 7 is operated to read a password in an memory IC 5. In the absence of a free-access password, a password input request signal PR is outputted to the recording and reproducing device 1, compared with a password PW entered from an operation section 13 by the user, and when they are coincident, the access to the memory IC 5 is allowed. Thus, a copy picture is not simply formed but interception or destruction of a picture of the memory IC is prevented.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (A) Field of Industrial Application The present invention relates to an image recording and reproducing device, and particularly to a digital electronic still camera that stores video signals representing still images in the form of digital data on a memory card.

(b) Conventional technology A digital electronic still camera stores video signals representing still images in the form of digital data on a memory card.
For example, the magazine "Television Technology" May 1989 issue P. 72~P
．． It is introduced under the name ``NC Card Camera'' in 73.

(c) Problems to be Solved by the Invention By the way, in a conventional analog electronic still camera that stores analog video signals on a magnetic disk,
When making a copy of an image recorded on a disc, data recorded in the form of an analog signal is copied, but in this case, since it is an analog signal,
The signal becomes distorted and degraded, making it impossible to create exactly the same replica. Further, if the duplicated image is used repeatedly, the signal deteriorates significantly and the image quality deteriorates significantly compared to the original image. For this reason, protecting images recorded on magnetic disks from copying has not been a very important issue.

However, in digital electronic still cameras,
When creating a copy of an image stored on a memory card, the digital video signal is copied, so it is easy to create an identical duplicate image with no signal deterioration compared to the original image. It is possible to do so. In addition, there is no deterioration in image quality even after repeated copying.
You can always create a duplicate image that is identical to the original image.

For this reason, for example, anyone with a memory card and a recorder/player can create a duplicate image that is indistinguishable from the original image, and there is a risk that the duplicate image will be copied without permission by another person.

Therefore, the present invention aims to solve this problem.

(2) Means for Solving the Problems The present invention provides a memory I in which digital image data is recorded.
A digital image recording and reproducing system comprising a memory card having a controller C, a control circuit for controlling the memory IC, and an image recording and reproducing device for writing or reading image data into or from the memory IC of the memory card. In the above, an identification code storage area provided in a memory IC in the memory card, an identification code input means provided in the image recording and reproducing device, an identification code input by the identification code input means, and an identification code of the memory card. This structure includes a control means that compares the identification code stored in the memory IC and determines whether image data can be read from the memory card or written to the memory card.

(E) Effect According to the above structure, unless a proper identification code is input, image data cannot be read or written from the memory card.

(F) Embodiment 1 and the following: An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3.

FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of a digital electronic still camera system embodying the present invention, in which (1) is a digital image recording/reproducing device, (2) is a memory card, and terminals (3) and (4) are shown. ), the memory card (2) is installed in the recording/reproducing device (1).

Inside the memory card (2) are a memory IC (5) for storing image data, a backup power supply circuit (6) for supplying backup power for retaining the memory contents of the memory IC (5), and the memory A memory IC control circuit (7) controls writing and reading of image data, password data (identification code), etc. to be described later, to the IC (5).
) has been implemented. This memory IC control circuit (7)
For example, it is more powerful than a microcomputer.

Figure 2 shows a memory map of the memory IC (5) provided in the memory card (2), and as can be seen from this memory map, the memory IC (5) has a password storage area (P) and a password storage area (P). , multiple areas for storing digital data such as image data! , Nn2, Nl13...
・ is provided.

The password is, for example, 4 from 0000 to FFFF.
It is a digit number, and therefore requires a 16-bit memory area. This password can be set using the recording/playback device mentioned above, and if the password is 0000, you can set this as a free access password to make the memory card a memory card that allows you to freely read and write to the memory as needed. be able to. Therefore, the password for each free access must be stored in the memory card at the beginning of use.

The image recording/reproducing device (1) is equipped with a system controller (comprised of a microcomputer, etc.) that controls the entire system.
8), memory (9), memory backup device (10)
, an alarm circuit (1l) such as a buzzer, an operation section (13) including a password setting switch (12), and a liquid crystal display section (14) for displaying passwords and other information.

Next, the operation of the system shown in FIG. 1 will be explained with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

First, when the memory card (2) is inserted into the image recording/reproducing device (1) and the terminals (3) and (4) are connected, power is supplied to the memory card (2) and the memory IC control circuit (7) is activated and the program starts running [
S t e p 1 (S+)l.

When the program starts, the memory ICIiI1 control circuit (
7) reads the password in the memory IC (5)
[Step 2 (Ss)] - Determine whether the password is the password for 7-way access, ie, oooo. [Step 3 (Ss)]. If it is determined in this step 3 that the password is for free access, the process proceeds to step (S,), and the memory IC (5)
Access to the memory IC (5) is permitted and data can be written to and read from the memory IC (5) [Step 7 (S,)]
.

If the password is not for free access in step 3, a password input request signal (PR) is output to the recording/reproducing device (1) and compared with the password (pw) input by the user from the operation unit (13). Step 4
)] - Then, the password input from the operation unit (13) and the password stored in the memory IC (5) are compared to determine whether they match [S t
e p 5 (Ss)].

If the two passwords match in step 5, the process advances to step 7, and if they do not match, an access permission/denial signal (IH) is output. data(
M) is output to the alarm circuit (11) and [S t e p 6
(Ss)], the user is notified of this.

After the writing or reading process to the memory IC (5) is completed, it is determined in step 8 (Step 8 (Ss)) whether or not there is an instruction to take out the memory card (2). If it is determined in step 8 that there is no memory card ejection command, return to step 7 {;; if it is determined that there is a memory card ejection command, proceed to the next step 9 [S
t e p9 (Sl)], the memory IC control unit (7) requests the recording/reproducing device (1) to re-enter the password.

This re-request for password entry means that the password is first stored in the memory (2) in the recording/reproducing device (1) [the memory (2) has a memory map similar to that of a memory card] by the operation unit (13). This is a request to read out the password that was entered, and in the next step (S, .), a different password is displayed on the operation panel (13).
The password is determined by comparing the password in the memory (9) and the password in the memory IC (5), and the password is determined by comparing the password in the memory (9) with the password in the memory IC (5). If it is determined that a new password different from the password has been input, the memory of the memory card (2) is stored in step 11 (Sll). C(5
) is rewritten with a new password, and the memory card is made ready for removal in step 12 (S Im). If it is determined in step 1o (S+s) that a new password has not been input, the process directly proceeds to step 12 (Sl!).

In the above embodiment, the memory IC control section (
Although access permission is determined in step 7), it may also be determined by the system controller of the recording/reproducing device. However, in order to prevent copying from occurring easily, it is preferable to perform copying only on the memory card side, as in this embodiment.

(G) Effects of the Invention As described above, according to the present invention, if the password is not known, access to the memory card can be permitted or denied. Images can also be prevented from being viewed or destroyed.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a digital image recording and reproducing system embodying the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a memory I used therein.
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a memory map of C. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a flowchart for explaining the control operation of the memory IC control section in the memory IC. (1)...Image recording and reproducing device, (2)...Memory card, (5)...Memory IC, (7)...Memory I
C control circuit. Figure 2

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) A memory card that has a memory IC on which digital image data is recorded, a control circuit that controls the memory IC, and an image recording and reproducing device that writes or reads image data to or from the memory IC of the memory card. A digital image recording and reproducing system comprising: an identification code storage area provided in a memory IC in the memory card; an identification code input means provided in the image recording and reproducing apparatus; and the identification code input means. a control means for comparing the identification code inputted by the user with the identification code stored in the memory IC of the memory card to determine whether image data can be read from the memory card or written to the memory card; A digital image recording and reproducing system equipped with