JPH04254966A - Image recording and reproducing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent erroneous detection in the designation of a recording mode, a reproducing mode and a power supply off mode by a sliding siwtch. CONSTITUTION:In a system control circuit 38, the terminal S of a mode selecting siwtch 46 consisting of the sliding switch is turned low and any of the recording mode, the reproducing mode, the power supply off mode or a debugging mode is judged with the output level of the terminals L, R at this time.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image recording and reproducing apparatus, and more particularly to an image recording and reproducing apparatus such as an electronic still camera that records and reproduces still images on a recording medium such as a magnetic disk or solid-state memory.

0002

2. Description of the Related Art As the above-mentioned electronic still camera, there is a known still video floppy camera which uses a magnetic disk as a recording medium, and has already been commercialized. Still video floppy recording formats are specified by the Still Video Conference. A still video floppy has 50 tracks, from the outermost track 1 to the innermost track 50, and each track can record one field of video signals. Two adjacent tracks are used to record one frame of video. Furthermore, formats such as date, time, track number, field/frame identification information, and user code are defined as identification information, ie, ID information, that accompanies still images to be recorded. Furthermore, electronic still cameras are also known that digitally record images on a solid-state memory such as a semiconductor memory as a recording medium.

[0003] In such electronic still cameras, particularly electronic still cameras having a playback function, a multi-terminal slide switch is used as means for selecting a plurality of non-concurrent operation modes. FIG. 13 shows a configuration block diagram of a switch and a system control circuit used for operating mode selection in a conventional example. Reference numeral 72 denotes the above-mentioned mode selection switch, which is a slide switch having three terminals L, P, and R connectable to a common terminal S connected to ground. 74 is a system control circuit that detects the connection state of the mode selection switch 72 and operates each part in the corresponding operation mode.

In the conventional example shown in FIG. 13, the terminal R is connected to the terminal S.
It was determined that when the terminal P was connected to the terminal S, the recording mode was set, when the terminal P was connected to the terminal S, the playback mode was set, and when the terminal L was connected to the terminal S, the power off mode was set. In reality, the terminal L is not connected to the system control circuit 74, and the system control circuit 74 determines which of the terminals R, P, or L the terminal S is connected to from the levels of the terminals R and P. was.

[0005]

However, when the terminals of the mode selection switch 72 are associated with the operation modes in this way, the following problems arise. That is, considering the actual operation, while the movable piece of the switch 72 moves between the terminals R and P, there is a state in which neither terminals R nor P are connected to the terminal S, and during this period, the terminal L is not connected to the terminal S. The state is equivalent to connecting to terminal S. In reality, terminal S is terminal R→
Although the connection should be from P to L, the system control circuit 74 misunderstood that the connection was from terminal R to L to P to L, which caused a malfunction.

[0006] It is an object of the present invention to provide an image recording and reproducing apparatus that eliminates such inconveniences.

[0007]

[Means for Solving the Problems] An image recording and reproducing apparatus according to the present invention is an image recording and reproducing apparatus that selects and sets one of a plurality of operation modes by a switch means that can freely select one of a plurality of terminals. The present invention is characterized in that a detection means is provided for detecting a connection state of the switch means by inspecting a conduction state between each terminal of the switch means and a common terminal.

[0008]

[Operation] Since the above means actively inspects the connection state of the switch means, false detections are eliminated and an operation corresponding to the selected connection state can be executed correctly.

[0009]

Embodiments Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention applied to an electronic still camera will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic block diagram of an electronic still camera to which the present invention is applied. 10 is a photographic lens,
12 is a mechanical shutter; 14 is a drive circuit for the shutter 12;
16 is an image sensor; 18 is a process circuit that forms a luminance signal and a color difference signal from the output of the image sensor 16; 20 is a recording circuit that performs recording processing such as modulation on the luminance signal and color difference signal output from the process circuit 18; 22; 24 is a video floppy recording medium; 26 is a motor that rotates the floppy 24; 28 is a magnetic head; 30 is an erasing circuit that generates an erasing signal; 32 is a magnetic head 28; A reproduction circuit 34 is a video output terminal which performs reproduction processing such as demodulation on the reproduction signal and outputs it in a video signal format.

36 is a liquid crystal display device for displaying the system status and various data, and 38 is a system control circuit for controlling the entire system. 40 is a switch group for inputting a predetermined instruction to the system control circuit 38, and a first release switch 42 is a group of switches for inputting a predetermined instruction to the system control circuit 38;
The second release switch 44 is closed on the second stroke of the shutter release to instruct the start of the photographing preparation operation, and the second release switch 44 is closed on the second stroke of the shutter release to instruct the photographing operation. A mode selection switch 46 is capable of selecting a plurality of operation modes (recording mode, playback mode, and debug mode in this embodiment), and is composed of a slide switch with three contacts in this embodiment. In addition, there is an up switch 50 for instructing track up, a down switch 52 for instructing track down, and a mode switch 54 for switching the display mode of the display device 36 and the setting mode.
, a BLC switch 56 for backlight correction, a DATE switch 58 for date, and a flash switch 60 for turning on/off the flash device. switch 50,5
Detailed functions and additional functions of 2, 54, 56, 58, and 60 will be described later.

A motor drive circuit 70 drives the motor 26, and stops the motor 26 when shut off. FIG. 11 shows an external view of the device according to the embodiment. The symbols in the figure correspond to those in FIG.

FIG. 12 shows a block diagram of the characteristic parts of this embodiment. The same components as in FIG. 1 are given the same reference numerals. 130 is a battery serving as a power source. A switch 132 detects opening/closing of a lid (not shown) of the battery chamber into which the battery 130 is inserted, and is turned on when the lid is completely closed, and turned off otherwise. 134 and 136 are battery 1
The regulator 134 is a regulator (voltage stabilizing circuit) that converts the output voltage of the regulator 130 into a predetermined voltage and outputs the same, and the regulator 134 outputs a larger voltage than the regulator 136. The outputs of regulators 134 and 136 are connected to the power input terminal of system control circuit 38 through diodes 138 and 140, respectively, which prevent reverse current flow. regulator 1
The output of 34 also provides power to other circuits illustrated in FIG.

In the system standby state, the system control circuit 38 disables the regulator 134 and is supplied with operating power from the regulator 136 via a diode 140, and in the system operating state, the system control circuit 38 disables the regulator 134.
is activated and is supplied with operating power from the regulator 134 via the diode 138. The system operating state refers to a state in which power is supplied to circuits other than the system control circuit 38 during recording, reproducing, and erasing, and in other situations. The system standby state refers to a low power consumption operating state in which the system control circuit 38 is kept in a standby state or non-operating state, such as in a power off mode, when a floppy is not installed, when playback is shut off, and when a recording mode is on standby.

The mode selection switch 46 has three modes as described above.
Consisting of a terminal slide switch, the system control circuit 38 selects the mode selection switch 46 by key scanning.
Detect the connection status. Specifically, the terminal S of the mode selection switch 46 is set to low (L), and when the terminal L is low, the power off mode is selected, when the terminal R is low, the recording mode is selected, and when both terminals L and R are high (H). When playback mode, terminal L,
Sets debug mode when both R are low. The debug mode is an operation mode for inspecting the system operation status, and instructs another control circuit (not shown) from the output terminal 142 to execute a predetermined operation or a predetermined series of operations. For example, the liquid crystal display device 36 is caused to display a predetermined display, the shutter is operated at a predetermined speed, and a predetermined track is reproduced.

FIG. 2 shows display elements in liquid crystal display 36. As shown in FIG. 100 is displayed when the flash device is forcibly prohibited from emitting light, and is turned off when the on/off of light emission is automatically controlled according to the amount of external light. 102 is displayed in the normal shooting mode. 104 is displayed during interval shooting or interval playback. 106 is displayed during self-timer photography. 108 is displayed in continuous shooting mode. 110 is displayed when distinguishing dates (Y: year, M: month, D: day). 112 blinks when the watch battery needs to be replaced. 114 blinks when the main power battery needs to be replaced. 116 is displayed in the erase mode. Reference numeral 118 is displayed simultaneously with the display of reference numeral 116 in the all-track erase mode. 120 is displayed when distinguishing time (H: hour, M: minute). 122 displays letters and numbers such as date, time and track number depending on the situation.

The operation of FIG. 1 will be schematically explained. During recording, the shutter 12 is activated by a release operation, and the electrical signal from the image sensor 16 is converted into a luminance signal and a color difference signal by the process circuit 18. The recording circuit 20 performs recording processing such as FM modulation on the output of the process circuit 18, and the output is applied to the magnetic head 28 via the switch 22 and recorded on the magnetic disk 24. Also, when playing,
The reproduction output of the magnetic head 28 is applied to the reproduction circuit 32 via the switch 22, and the reproduction circuit 32 performs reproduction processing such as demodulation and outputs a reproduced video signal to the output terminal 34.

The recording operation and display operation based thereon will be explained with reference to FIG. The recording mode is entered by operating the mode selection switch 46, and the display device 36 displays the image shown in FIG.
As shown in 1), the "S" symbol 102 indicating the normal shooting mode (S100) is displayed, and the track number is displayed in the letters and numbers 122. When the switch 44 is turned on in this state (S104), the photographed image is recorded on the magnetic disk 24 as described above (S1). If the switch 44 is kept on after recording, the recorded image is reproduced as described above (S2, 3). During this playback,
A reproduced video signal in which the track number of the track recorded in S1 is superimposed on the reproduced image is output from the output terminal 34. When the switch 44 is turned off, the magnetic head 28 is sent to the next track (S4), and the display device 36 displays the track number after the movement.

When the mode switch 54 is operated, the normal shooting mode is changed to the continuous shooting mode (S101), and the display device 36 shows the following information as shown in FIG. 5(2).
A "C" symbol 108 indicating continuous shooting mode is displayed, and a track number to be recorded is displayed in alphanumeric characters 122. When the switch 44 is turned on in this state (S105),
While the switch 44 is on, captured images are continuously recorded on the magnetic disk 24 (S5, 6, 7).

When the mode switch 54 is operated again,
From continuous shooting mode to self-timer shooting mode (S102
), and as shown in FIG. 5(3), the timer symbol 106 indicating the self-timer shooting mode is displayed on the display device 36, and the track number to be recorded is displayed in the alphanumeric characters 122. When the switch 44 is turned on in this state (S
106), the motor 26 rotates, the self-timer light emitting element (not shown) blinks at 8 Hz for 2 seconds (S8), then recording is executed (S9), and the magnetic head 28 is sent to the next track. (S10).

When the mode switch 54 is operated again,
The interval shooting mode (S103) is entered, and the "INT" symbol 104 indicating the interval shooting mode is displayed on the display device 36, as shown in FIG. 6(1). A display indicating that the shooting time has not been set, that is, a display consisting of "0" and a small "M" (hereinafter referred to as interval unset display) is displayed. The up switch 50 and down switch 52 are used to set the interval photographing time between 1 and 99 minutes. When switch 44 is turned on,
The magnetic head 28 is moved to the next track to be recorded by performing the above-mentioned recording operation and display, and thereafter, as shown in FIG. 6(2), the "INT" symbol 104 is blinked and the interval timer is checked. (S11), set time 2
Seconds ago, the motor 26 rotates and the self-timer light emitting element (
(not shown) flashes at 8 Hz for 2 seconds, then recording (S12
) and track movement (S13). During the interval photography mode, S11, 12, and 13 are repeated.

If the DATE switch 58 is operated while the "INT" symbol 104 is blinking during the interval shooting operation, the interval shooting time is displayed on the display device 36 as shown in FIG. 6(3). Ru.

Furthermore, when the switch 44 is turned on during the interval shooting operation (S14), the recording operation and display are performed (S15, 16), the interval time that has been counted up to that point is reset (S17), and a new Count up to the set time. In addition, after the interval shooting operation,
FIG. 10 shows a time chart when the switch 44 is turned on after automatic photographing is performed twice.

Either operate the mode switch 54 to enter the normal shooting mode, or after locking or playing, operate the mode selection switch 46 again to enter the normal shooting mode, or remove the magnetic disk 24 and load it again. The interval shooting mode can be canceled by either setting the camera to the normal shooting mode. Note that when the switch 44 is turned on with no interval shooting time set, the recording operation and display described above are performed, the normal shooting mode is entered, and the "S" symbol 102 is displayed.

In any of the above modes, the switch 44
When the BLC switch 56 is operated simultaneously with the operation of , the photographed image is recorded with backlight correction performed. Furthermore, when the flash switch 60 is turned on, the flash device emits light when taking pictures.

Operations and displays during playback and erasure will be explained with reference to FIG. The mode selection switch 46 enters the playback mode, and the image recorded immediately before or the image recorded on the designated track is played back (S20). And I
Data such as year, month, day, hour and minute recorded as D data are superimposed on the reproduced video signal as a character signal in accordance with the operation of the DATE switch 58 and output from the output terminal 34. That is, each time the DATE switch 58 is operated, the track number, year, month, day, hour and minute are displayed and not displayed. Also, an up switch 50 and a down switch 52
You can change the track to play.

If the track to be reproduced is unrecorded, a mute signal is output from the output terminal 34. At this time, of course, the ID data is not displayed and the ID data is not reproduced. Further, even if the DATE switch 58 is operated, the display mode of the ID data is not changed.

When the flash switch 60 is operated during playback (S34), the interval playback mode is entered, and the "INT" symbol 104 representing interval playback is displayed on the display device 36, as shown in FIG. 7(2). The track number being played back is displayed using alphanumeric characters 122. In this mode, after reproduction is performed for 3.5 seconds (S21), the magnetic head is moved to an adjacent upper recorded track (S22), and reproduction is performed (S23). Steps S21, 22, and 23 are repeated until the interval playback mode is canceled. If there is no higher recorded track, the first
Play recorded tracks in order from track to track. Therefore, if there is only one recorded track, only that track is reproduced. Furthermore, if there is no recorded track, the display of the "INT" symbol 104 disappears and interval playback is canceled.

The interval playback mode can be canceled by operating the flash switch 60, turning on the switch 42, operating the mode selection switch 46 again after entering the lock or recording mode, or operating the mode selection switch 46 again.
It is either to operate.

During playback including interval playback, if all switches 42 to 60 are not operated for 3 minutes (if the main power source is a battery) or 6 minutes (if the main power source is an AC power source) (S38 ), the power is automatically turned off and playback is stopped (S39). Hereinafter, this will be referred to as shutoff. At this time, the display device 36 displays the track number using alphanumeric characters 122, as shown in FIG. 7(1), and the interval playback mode is canceled.

To perform playback again (S33), the switch 42 may be turned on (S37), or the mode selection switch 46 may be operated again after entering the lock or recording mode.

A dedicated switch for setting the erase mode is not provided, and the erase mode is set by simultaneously operating a plurality of switches used only in the recording mode during the playback mode. That is, by simultaneously operating the switches 42, 44 and the mode switch 54 during playback (S35), the reproduced image is muted (S40), and then the track being played back is erased (S25).
. By continuing to press the button (S26), the magnetic head 2
8 to the next inner track (S27), and erases that track (S25). During this time, the display on the display device 36 is as shown in FIG. 7(3) when the mode switch 54 is operated.
The display becomes as shown in , and the muted reproduced image is continuously output to the terminal 34 and displayed on a monitor (not shown).

Furthermore, the switches 42 and 44, the mode switch 54, and the BLC switch 56 are operated simultaneously (S36).
This will enter all-track erase mode. That is, after muting the reproduced image (S41), the magnetic head 28 moves to the 50th track on the innermost circumference (S28), and erases continuously from the 50th track to the 1st track (S29,
30, 31). After erasing up to the first track, the power is turned off and shut off (S32). Note that once the switches 42, 44, mode switch 54, and BLC switch 56 are operated simultaneously, they may be released thereafter. At this time, the display on the display device 36 shows that the switches 42, 44,
When the simultaneous operations 54 and 56 are performed, the display becomes as shown in FIG. 7(4).

The all track erase mode can be activated by operating the switch 42 (S44) (between S42 and 43), or
After entering the lock or recording mode, the mode selection switch 46 is operated again to release the mode. If the switch 42 is operated while erasing a certain track, "
ALL” symbol 118 disappears, and the display becomes as shown in FIG. 7(1), and the muted playback image is continuously output to the terminal 34 and displayed on the monitor (not shown).Furthermore, if the switch 42 is operated while the track is moving, the display The display on the device 36 immediately becomes the display shown in FIG. 7(1).

Measures to prevent recording can be taken on the magnetic disk 24, and in that case, when the above-mentioned erasing operation is performed, the display device 36 displays a display as shown in FIG. 8(1) or FIG. 8(2). , no erasure is performed.

Further, when the main power supply voltage decreases to a predetermined voltage, the battery symbol 114 is blinked to warn of this, but erasing of all tracks is prohibited at this voltage. That is, when an operation for erasing all tracks is performed below this voltage, the display device 36 displays a display as shown in FIG. 8(3). However, if the above voltage is reached during the execution of all-track erasing, erasing is continued.

When the voltage of the main power supply further decreases to a predetermined voltage, erasing of one track and continuous erasing are prohibited. In response to the deletion operation, the display device 36 displays the display shown in FIG. 8(4).

Next, the setting of the clock for recording ID data will be explained. When the DATE switch 58 is operated in the recording mode by the mode selection switch 46 (excluding the interval recording operation) or in the reproduction mode by the mode selection switch 46 when the magnetic disk 24 is not loaded, the display device 36 will display the following information: A "Y" symbol indicating the year among the symbols 110 is displayed, and the numerical value of the year is displayed in the letters and numerals 122. Every time you operate the DATE switch 58,
Changes between month display, day display, hour display, minute display, and normal display. This allows you to check the current date and time. The numerical values can be changed by operating the up switch 50 and down switch 52, and for example, as shown in FIG. 9(2), the corresponding symbols among Y, M, D, H, and M flash. Note that if the above operation is performed while the interval time is displayed (the interval time is not set or set), the camera enters the normal shooting mode.

If none of the switches are operated for about 1 minute while the year, month, day, and time are displayed, the display switches to normal display. In addition, if the voltage of the main power supply decreases, the mode selection switch 46
The normal display is also returned by the operation of , or the insertion and removal of the magnetic disk 24.

Next, referring to FIG. 14, sensing switch 1
The state detection operation of No. 32 will be explained. FIG. 14 shows an operation flowchart of the system control circuit 38. In the system standby state, the terminal S of the sensing switch 132 is set low (L) to detect the level of the terminal B, and the terminal S is immediately set high (H).
) (S200). At this time, if terminal B is high (H), it is determined that the battery compartment cover is open (or not completely closed), and countermeasures are taken (for example, displaying a predetermined warning display, etc.). Execute (S222). If terminal B is low, a key scan of switch group 40 is performed (
S201) If there is a key input, the corresponding process is performed. If the process does not require power (S
202), execute the process as is (S220),
Return to S200. For processing that requires power (S
202), and sets the terminal S of the sensing switch 132 to low (S
203), and in response to the rise of terminal B, an interrupt is enabled (S204), the regulator 134 is put into operation (S205), and processing corresponding to the key input is executed (S206). After the processing is completed, the regulator 134 is made inactive (S207), and interrupts are prohibited (S20).
8), set the terminal S of the sensing switch 132 to high (S2
09), return to S200.

In FIG. 14, when the lid of the battery compartment is opened during execution of the process (S206), the sensing switch 132 is turned off, and the terminal B of the sensing switch 132, which was previously low, becomes high. This rise causes an interrupt (S221), and the process for opening the battery compartment lid is executed (S222).

Although the electronic still camera in this embodiment uses a still video floppy as a recording medium, it may also be a tape-shaped medium, an optical recording medium, or a solid memory such as a semiconductor memory. Although the present invention has been described using an electronic still camera as an example, it goes without saying that the present invention can also be applied to other battery-powered electrical devices.

[0043]

Effects of the Invention As can be easily understood from the above explanation, according to the present invention, since the connection state of the mode selection switch for selecting a plurality of operation modes is actively detected, detection errors are eliminated and the user It is possible to reliably execute operations according to instructions.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the overall configuration of an electronic still camera.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of all display contents of the display device 36.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of operations and display operations during recording.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of playback and deletion operations and display operations.

FIG. 5 is an example of a display on the display device 36.

FIG. 6 is a display example of the display device 36.

FIG. 7 is a display example of the display device 36.

FIG. 8 is a display example of the display device 36.

FIG. 9 is a display example of the display device 36.

FIG. 10 is a time chart during interval photography.

FIG. 11 is an external view of the device.

FIG. 12 is a configuration block diagram of characteristic parts of this embodiment.

FIG. 13 is a configuration block diagram of a conventional example.

FIG. 14 is an operation flowchart of this embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

10: Photographic lens 12: Mechanical shutter 14: Shutter drive circuit 16: Image sensor 18: Process circuit 20: Recording circuit 22: Switch 24:
Floppy 26: Motor 28: Magnetic head
30: Erase circuit 32: Playback circuit 34: Video output terminal 36: Liquid crystal display device 38: System control circuit 40: Switch group 42: First release switch 44: Second release switch 46: Mode selection switch 50: Up/down switch switch 52
:Down switch 54:Mode switch 5
6: BLC switch 58: DATE switch 60
:Flash switch 70:Motor drive circuit
72: Sensing switch 74: System control circuit 1
30: Battery 132: Sense switch 134, 13
6: Regulator 138, 140: Diode
142: Control signal output terminal for debugging

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An image recording and reproducing apparatus that selects and sets one of a plurality of operation modes by a switch means that can freely select one of the plurality of terminals, the conduction state between each terminal of the switch means and a common terminal. 1. An image recording and reproducing apparatus comprising: a detection means for detecting the connection state of the switch means by inspecting the switch means.