JPH0470077A - Picture recording device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent the useless consumption of a memory when an abnormality occurs during recording by rewriting a data for management concerning a picture data after completing the record of the picture data, at the time of recording a picture. CONSTITUTION:The data for management is read out after performing access of a picture area 2-1 for management at the time of recording the picture. Then, when the cluster of a picture data area 2-2 to be recorded is designated based on the read data for management, the cluster is accessed. And also, an input to a memory 2 is switched to the picture data, and the picture data is written in and recorded. When the recording of the picture data is completed, the data area 2-1 for management is accessed, and switched to the data for management concerning the picture data in which the input to the memory 2 is recorded. Then, the data for management is rewritten. Thus, when the abnormality occurs during the recording, the useless consumption of the capacity of the memory can be prevented, even through the recording is not completed normally.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION <Industrial Application Field> The present invention relates to an image recording device such as a digital electronic still camera.

<Prior Art> Conventionally, in an image recording device such as a digital electronic still camera, when recording image data in a memory such as a memory card, the memory has an image data area and a management data area, and the image data area is is handled in cluster units,
The management (management of recorded clusters and unrecorded clusters, etc.) is performed based on the management data recorded in the management data area (see Japanese Patent Application No. 1-182516).

That is, when recording an image, recorded clusters and unrecorded clusters are confirmed based on management data, the unrecorded cluster to be recorded is designated, and image data is written there.

<Problems to be Solved by the Invention> However, in the past, when recording an image, the management data is rewritten and then the actual image data is written to a designated cluster. If this occurs, the cluster in which image data was scheduled to be written has already been recorded as far as the management data shows, so it is either possible to use that cluster for other recording, or whether the cluster is not properly recorded. There was a problem in that it was completely wasted as it was not being used.

In view of these circumstances, the present invention aims to prevent memory capacity from being wasted even if an abnormality occurs during recording, even if it is unavoidable that the recording will not be completed normally. purpose.

<Means for Solving the Problem> For this reason, the present invention has an image data area and a management data area on the memory, and creates the image data area based on the management data recorded in the management data area. Provided is an image recording device that records image data by managing it in cluster units, and includes the following means a to C.

(a) Means for accessing the management data area and reading management data; (b) Accessing a cluster of the image data area designated based on the management data read by the means and writing image data therein; Means (C) Means for accessing the management data area and rewriting the management data after completion of writing by the means (Function) The memory is divided into an image data area and a management data area, and the image data area is organized in cluster units. Managed by. Then, data for managing this cluster is written in the management data area.

When recording an image, first the management data area is accessed and the management data is read out.

Next, when a cluster of the image data area to be recorded is specified based on the read management data, that cluster is accessed, the input to the memory is switched to image data, and the image data is written and recorded. .

When the image data is completely recorded, the management data area is accessed, the input to the memory is switched to the management data related to the recorded image data, and the management data is rewritten. When this operation is completed, one unit of image recording sequence is completed.

<Example> Embodiments of the present invention will be described below based on the drawings.

In FIG. 1, l is a CP that controls the entire image recording.
There is U, thereby realizing the means of a to C above.

2 is a memory for recording images, and a management data area 2
-1 and an image data area 2-2, and the image data area 2-2 is managed in units of clusters. Data for managing this cluster is written in the management data area 2-1.

As means for accessing this memory 2, there are a management data area access means 3 which generates an address signal for the management data area 2-1, and an image data area access means 4 which generates an address signal for the image data area 2-2. There is.

A management data buffer memory 5 temporarily stores management data.

6 is an image data output device and an image memory.

Any device such as a VTR or a solid-state image pickup device that serially outputs an image signal taken in from the outside as image data may be used.

7 is a data bus, which includes a CPUI, a memory 2, a management data/buffer memory 5, and an image data output device 6.
are connected by this.

However, the management data buffer memory 5 and the image data output device 6 are connected to the data bus 4 via a changeover switch 8. This changeover switch 8 is connected to the data bus 7.
This serves as a means for switching the output to (input to the memory 2) into management data and image data, and while the management data area access means 3 is operating, the management data/buffer memory 5 side is While it is switched and stopped, it is controlled so that it is switched to the image data output device 6 side.

Next, the image recording procedure will be explained.

First, the CPUI accesses the management data area access means 3.
Operate to access the management data area 2-1,
Management data is read from the area 2-1 via the data bus 7. This allows the CPUI to know the unrecorded clusters, so it can instruct the image data area access means 4 whether to record in the clusters on the image data area 2-2.

Therefore, the CPUI uses the image data area access means 4.
At the same time, the cluster is stored in the buffer memory 5.

When the CPUI starts the image data area access means 4, the access means 4 sequentially accesses the designated clusters. At this time, since the management data area access means 5 is not operating, the changeover switch 8 is on the image data output device 6 side, and the image data is input to the memory 2 from the data bus 7, and the image data area 2- 2 is written on.

When the image data area access means 4 completes its operation,
A start signal is issued to start the management data area access means 3. The management data area access means 3 accesses the management data area 2-1, writes data related to the cluster previously stored in the buffer memory 5, and rewrites the management data.

Next, see the second example of application to digital electronic still cameras.
This will be explained with reference to the drawings and FIG.

In FIG. 2, elements corresponding to those in FIG. 1 are given the same reference numerals, and a memory card, which is a semiconductor memory, is used as the memory 2, and a portion of the image data output device 6 is embodied.

To explain the image data output device 6, an image of a subject is formed on a CCD 12 by a lens 11.

This is the drive circuit 1 controlled by the CPU
3 to convert optical image electrical signals into electrical signals. This output signal is formed into a standard-compliant signal by the process circuit 14, and converted into digital image data by the A/D converter 15. It should be noted that data compression processing may be performed before recording, but since it is irrelevant to the present invention, it will not be discussed in particular.

In addition to the CCD 12, an optical sensor 16 is also arranged, and its signal is input to the CPUI via an A/D converter 17 to measure the brightness of the entire screen and determine the shutter speed. Shutter speed is CCD1
It is controlled via the drive circuit 13 of No. 2, and serves as a so-called electronic shutter.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart summarizing the flow of image recording in this digital electronic still camera, and the following will be explained along this flowchart.

When the power is turned on, the first thing the CPU does to do is select memory card 2.
When accessing the management data area (S1), it is determined whether the capacity of the unrecorded area is sufficient to record one image (S2).

If the amount is insufficient, a warning of insufficient remaining amount is issued using an LED, a buzzer, etc. (S3), and from then on, no photographing operation is performed even if the release switch is pressed. When the memory card is replaced, return to the beginning of this flow.

If the remaining capacity is sufficient, the image data area access means 4 is informed of the cluster in which the image should be recorded (S4). At the same time, the cluster is written into the buffer memory 5, and the address on the management data area where data related to the cluster is to be recorded is notified to the management data area access means 3.

After this, wait for the release switch to be pressed (S5
).

The power switch turns OFF without the release switch being pressed.
If this happens, either power down the entire camera (S
6) Keep waiting for the release switch while the power switch is ON.

When the release switch is pressed, the CPUI starts the image data area access means 4 to start recording image data (S7). At this time, the image data area access means 4 accesses the designated clusters in order, and image data from the image data output device 6 (A/D converter 15) is input to the data bus. The data is written to the memory card 2 via the computer.

When the end of this operation is confirmed (S8), the management data is rewritten. That is, the image data area access means 4
or starts the management data area access means 3. Then, the management data area access means 3 switches the changeover switch 8 to the buffer memory 5 side, accesses the specified addresses on the management data area in order, and writes the management data from the buffer memory 5. It's crowded (S9).

After this, whether or not the operation of the CPU or the management data area access means 3 has ended is detected through communication with the management data area access means 4, and once it has finished, the capacity after recording is sufficient to record more images. (510), and if insufficient, a warning is issued; if sufficient, the process branches to preparation for the next photographing.

The above is the flow when the operation is normal, but if an error occurs during image recording, an interrupt will occur during the loop of S8, and the process will jump to the routine that handles the error. .

Therefore, since S9 has not yet been executed, the management data will not be rewritten.

In the explanation so far, each function has been shown as a block for easy understanding, so the flowchart in FIG. In reality, the management data area access means 32 and the image data area access means 4 in FIG. The functions of the buffer memory 5 and changeover switch 8 are provided by the CPU, and these functions are often realized by a program, so this flowchart is based on the CPU.
It means only the flow of the PU program.

Here, the part Sl corresponds to the means of a above, and S
The part 7 corresponds to the means mentioned above, and the part S9 corresponds to the means mentioned above.
corresponds to the means of

<Effects of the Invention> As explained above, according to the present invention, when recording an image, the management data related to the image data is rewritten after the image data is completely recorded. If an error occurs during the process, the management data will only be rewritten, so the cluster that was attempted to be recorded can at least be used for other recordings next time, and memory will not be wasted. This has the effect of being able to.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a system configuration diagram of an image recording device showing an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a system configuration diagram of an application example to a digital electronic still camera, and Fig. 3 shows the flow of image recording in the same application example. FIG.

Claims (1)

[Claims] An image data area and a management data area are provided on the memory, and image data is recorded by managing the image data area in cluster units based on management data recorded in the management data area. An image recording device for image recording, comprising means for accessing a management data area and reading management data, and accessing a cluster of the image data area designated based on the management data read by the means to read an image. An image recording device comprising means for writing data, and means for accessing a management data area and rewriting the management data after the writing by the means is completed.