JPH07177405A - Electronic still camera - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide an electronic still camera for recording consecutively photographed image data in a magneto-optical disk. CONSTITUTION:The magneto-optical disk 9 is loaded to a camera as the recording medium of the photographed image data. At the time of normal photographing, the photographed image data are tentatively written in a frame memory 6, transferred to the magneto-optical disk 9 and recorded. On the other hand, at the time of consecutive photographing, they are tentatively written in an IC memory card 10 capable of high-speed access and the plural image data written in the IC memory card 10 are transferred through the frame memory 6 to the magneto-optical disk 9 and recorded. Even though the access speed of the magneto-optical disk is slow, by utilizing the high-speed accessibility of the IC memory card, since the consecutively photographed image data are tentatively written in the IC memory card and recorded in the magneto-optical disk of a large capacity, this electronic still camera for utilizing the merits of the magneto-optical disk and the IC memory card can be provided.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electronic still camera, and more particularly to an electronic still camera capable of recording continuously photographed image data on a large-capacity, low-cost magneto-optical recording medium such as a magneto-optical disk.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Up to now, an electronic still camera has been proposed in which a memory device, for example, a floppy desk or the like, uses an image pickup means for analog recording. Furthermore, although a digital electronic still camera that converts a video signal captured by an electronic still camera into a digital signal and records the digital signal has also been proposed, as a main recording medium for recording the video signal captured by the conventional digital electronic still camera, IC memory cards, hard disks, etc. are used independently.

Recently, a magneto-optical disk has attracted attention as a new recording medium. However, the access speed of this magneto-optical disk is slow because the recording / reproducing means is mechanical, and when this magneto-optical recording medium is used as the recording medium of a digital still camera, it is necessary to record image data following the continuous shooting speed. Is difficult and requires a large number of frame memories for continuous shooting, which increases costs, but
On the other hand, the magneto-optical disk has the advantages of large capacity, low price, and easy availability. On the other hand, the IC memory card has an advantage that it can be accessed at high speed, but has a drawback that it is expensive and has a smaller storage capacity than the magneto-optical disk.

[0004]

In view of the above-mentioned problems, the present invention makes use of the advantages of the magneto-optical disk and the advantage of the IC memory card to make up for the drawbacks of both, and has a large capacity of the magneto-optical disk and the IC memory card. Utilizing the high-speed accessibility of
An object of the present invention is to provide an electronic still camera that can easily realize the recording of a large number of image data which is continuously shot with a memory cost reduction.

[0005]

According to the present invention, in an electronic still camera, a first image data recording means for recording image data on a magneto-optical recording medium and a second image for recording image data on an IC memory card. Recording means, imaging means,
Shooting mode setting means for setting a shooting mode, and when the continuous shooting mode is selected, the video signal from the shooting means is temporarily recorded in the IC memory card and then the IC
A video signal is transferred from the memory card to the magneto-optical recording medium. During normal shooting, image data is temporarily recorded in the frame memory or IC memory card and then transferred from the frame memory or IC memory card to the magneto-optical disk for recording.

[0006]

1 is a block diagram of an electronic still camera system according to the present invention. In FIG. 1, 1 is an imaging lens, 2 is an imaging device using a CCD or the like, 3 is an analog / digital conversion circuit (hereinafter referred to as an A / D conversion circuit), 4 is signal processing such as gamma correction and white balance. A signal processing circuit to perform, 5 is a frame memory controller, 6 is a frame memory, 7 is a magneto-optical disk interface (hereinafter referred to as a magneto-optical disk I / F), 8
Is an IC memory card interface (hereinafter referred to as an IC memory card I / F), 9 is a magneto-optical disk, 10
Is an IC memory card, 11 is a control circuit to be described later, 12 is a shutter button, and input means for mode selection and the like.

The operation of the electronic still camera will be described below with reference to the block diagram of FIG. In FIG. 1, an imaging lens 1 forms an optical image of a subject on an imaging device 2, photoelectrically converts it on the imaging device 2, scans it out as an electrical signal, and converts it into a digital signal by an A / D conversion circuit 3. To do. Signal processing such as gamma correction and white balance of the digital signal is performed by the signal processing circuit 4, and the frame memory controller 5 writes the signal in the frame memory 6 during normal shooting (one by one). The image data on the frame memory 6 is recorded on the magneto-optical disk 9 via the frame memory controller 5 and the magneto-optical disk I / F 7.

On the other hand, at the time of continuous shooting, the image data is not transferred to the frame memory 6 but recorded in the IC memory card 10 via the frame memory controller 5 and the IC memory card I / F 8. Therefore, the number of continuous shots is determined by the capacity of the IC memory card 10 and the size of shot image data.

In the control section 11, either "card" (records in an IC memory card) or "auto" (normal photography is recorded in a magneto-optical disk, continuous photography is performed in an IC memory) according to a mode selection made by the user from the input means 12. Record on card)
Frame memory controller 5, magneto-optical disk I / based on information such as selection of normal shooting or continuous shooting
F7 and IC memory card I / F8 are controlled.

The photographing procedure will be described in detail below with reference to the flowchart of FIG. The determination (switch) in this flowchart is performed by the CPU incorporated in the control unit 11.

<Step 1> When the user starts photographing, the input means 12 selects the mode of "card" or "auto". <Step 2> It is determined which mode is selected. In this step, it is determined whether the "card" mode has been selected.

<Step 3> If it is determined in step 2 that the "card" mode has been selected, the still camera is set to I
It is determined whether or not the C memory card 10 is loaded. <Step 4> When the IC memory card 10 is loaded, it is determined whether or not continuous shooting is performed.

<Step 5> In the case of continuous shooting, the control section 11 sets the flow of the image data taken by the frame memory controller 5 → IC memory card I / F 8 → IC memory card 10. <Step 6> User continuous shooting

<Steps 7 and 8> It is judged whether or not the image data recorded on the IC memory card 10 can be transferred to the magneto-optical disk 9 for recording by the setting of Step 5 (Step 7). The transfer of the image data to the magneto-optical disk 9 is started (step 8).

<Step 9> Normal photographing is performed. Since the data flow is set in step 5, the image data of the normal shooting is also temporarily recorded in the IC memory card 10.

In the above, the "card" mode is selected,
Especially, the image data shot continuously is recorded in the IC memory card 10.
And the image data is recorded on the magneto-optical disk 9 and recorded.

Next, a flow when the photographing mode is selected to the "auto" mode will be described. This "auto"
The mode is a mode in which it is automatically selected to record in the IC memory card 10 in the case of continuous shooting and record in the magneto-optical disk 9 in the case of normal shooting.

<Step 10> In step 2, it is determined whether or not the "auto" mode is selected based on the result of the determination that the "card" mode is not selected. <Steps 11 and 12> It is determined whether or not continuous shooting is performed (step 11). If it is determined that continuous shooting is performed, step 12 is performed.
At, it is determined whether the IC memory card 10 is loaded in the camera. If the IC memory card 10 is loaded in the camera, the process proceeds to step 5. If the IC memory card 10 is not loaded in the camera, the user is notified to that effect.

<Step 13> In step 11,
If it is determined to be normal shooting, it is determined whether or not a magneto-optical disk is loaded in the camera. If the magneto-optical disk 9 is not loaded in the camera, the user is informed accordingly.

<Steps 14 and 15> When it is determined in step 13 that the magneto-optical disk is loaded in the camera, the control unit 11 changes the flow of the captured image data to frame memory controller 5 → frame memory 6 → The frame memory controller 5 is set to the magneto-optical disk 9 (step 14). And by normal shooting (Step 1
5) The captured image data is transferred from the frame memory 6 to the magneto-optical disk 9 and recorded therein.

The above is a flow chart of the procedure of continuous shooting and normal shooting, but the shooting procedure is summarized as follows. The user selects the "card" or "auto" mode. When the "card" mode is selected, both the continuous shooting image data and the normal shooting image data are set to be temporarily recorded in the IC memory card 10. It

When the "auto" mode is selected, the IC memory card 10 is automatically controlled during continuous shooting, and the magneto-optical disk 9 is normally controlled during normal shooting. Can be done arbitrarily.

As described above, in the case of continuous shooting, the access to the magneto-optical disk is slow, so the image data cannot be transferred to the magneto-optical disk (step 7) and directly recorded. Therefore, using the frame memory 6, I
It becomes necessary to transfer the image data from the C memory card 10 to the magneto-optical disk 9.

First, image data for one screen is transferred from the IC memory card 10 to the frame memory 6 and stored therein under the control of the frame memory controller 5. After that, the data is transferred from the frame memory 6 to the magneto-optical disk 9 via the frame memory controller 5 for recording. This operation may be repeated for the number of continuously shot images.

As is clear from the above description, the IC
The card memory 10 can be mainly defined as a frame memory for continuous shooting, and it can be specified that the image data recording is a large-capacity, low-cost magneto-optical disk. In the case of the above-described embodiment, the IC memory card is used as the solid-state memory, but it is also possible to use the RAM instead of the IC memory card.

[0026]

According to the present invention, it is not necessary to prepare a plurality of frame memories even during continuous shooting, and an electronic still camera can be realized without increasing the camera cost. In the case of the present invention, an IC memory card is required for continuous shooting,
In particular, it is not necessary to prepare an IC memory card exclusively for the camera, and the IC memory card can be efficiently used because it can be diverted to other devices. Also, after continuous shooting, IC
Since the image data can be transferred from the memory card to the magneto-optical disk for recording, it can be effectively used without leaving the image data in the IC memory card. Further, since the magneto-optical disk is directly used as a recording medium in the case of normal shooting without continuous shooting, it is possible to store a large amount of image data together with the image data at the time of continuous shooting.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an electronic still camera system of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart of a photographing procedure and recording of the electronic still camera system of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Imaging Lens 2 Imaging Device 3 Analog / Digital Conversion Circuit 4 Signal Processing Circuit 5 Frame Memory Controller 6 Frame Memory 7 Magneto Optical Disk I / F 8 IC Memory Card I / F 9 Magneto Optical Disk 10 IC Memory Card

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. In an electronic still camera, first image data recording means for recording image data on a magneto-optical recording medium, second image recording means for recording image data on a solid-state memory, image pickup means, and photographing. Shooting mode setting means for setting a mode, and when the continuous shooting mode is selected, the video signal from the imaging means is temporarily recorded in the solid-state memory, and then the video signal from the solid-state memory to the magneto-optical recording medium. An electronic still camera characterized by transferring. 2. The electronic still camera according to claim 1, wherein the solid-state memory is an IC memory card. 3. The electronic still camera according to claim 1, wherein the solid-state memory is a random access memory.