JPH07212707A - Electronic still camera - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent a function from being stopped and a picture signal from being destroyed resulting from withdrawal of a memory card and to attain on-line transmission of a picture signal. CONSTITUTION:A digital picture signal is outputted to a frame memory 4 and a compression circuit 5. The frame memory 4 being a picture memory has a capacity capable of storing at least digital picture signals corresponding to one pattern. The compression circuit 5 compresses a digital picture signal from an A/D converter section 3 and provides an output of the compressed signal to a memory card controller 6. The memory card controller 6 stores the compressed digital picture signal to a memory card 7 when the memory card 7 is inserted into its slot. Moreover, even when the memory card 7 is withdrawn from the slot, the digital picture signal is continuously stored in the frame memory 4.

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 equipped with a memory card that is removably inserted into a slot and stores digital image signals, and more particularly to an electronic still camera equipped with an image memory for backing up the memory card. It relates to a still camera.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in an electronic still camera, a still image signal obtained by an image pickup device composed of a CCD or the like is converted into a digital image signal by an A / D converter, and the digital image signal is compressed. Some are stored in a memory card. Also, this type of electronic still camera is configured to stop functioning when the memory card is removed while the power is on, or makes it impossible to remove the memory card when the power is on. It has a mechanism.

[0003]

However, in the electronic still camera as described above, when the image signal of the captured image is transmitted to the image processing device such as a personal computer, the power of the electronic still camera is turned off and the memory is removed. The card is taken out and the image signal is read from the memory card by the image processing device. Such off-line transmission requires labor for carrying the memory card as compared with on-line transmission, and thus has a problem that the efficiency of transmitting the image signal is low. Further, when the memory card is removed, the function of the electronic still camera is stopped, and when the memory card is accidentally removed during recording of the image signal, the image signal may be destroyed.

Further, it takes a long time and the cost is high to carry a memory card to a place difficult to carry by a carrier or a remote place. Further, the image processing device requires a dedicated reading device for reading the image signal of the memory card.

An object of the present invention is to provide an electronic still camera capable of preventing the functional stoppage and the destruction of the image signal due to the removal of the memory card and enabling the online transmission of the image signal.

[0006]

In order to solve the above problems, the first means of the present invention is an image pickup means for converting a subject image into an analog image signal, and an analog image signal for converting the analog image signal into a digital image signal. In an electronic still camera equipped with an A / D conversion means and a memory card which is removably inserted into a slot of an apparatus body and stores the digital image signal, the digital image signal to be stored in the memory card is stored, and It is characterized by being provided with an image memory capable of holding the stored digital image signal when the memory card is removed from the slot and continuously storing the digital image signal.

Further, the second means converts the digital image signal, which is removably inserted into the slot and stored in the image memory, into a transmission image signal based on an image transmission protocol, and transmits the transmission image signal to the outside. And an image signal transmission card for transmitting to.

Further, a third means converts the digital image signal stored in the image memory into a facsimile image signal based on an image transmission protocol, which is removably inserted into the slot, and converts the facsimile image signal into a facsimile image signal. A facsimile image signal transmission card for transmitting to the device is provided.

[0009]

According to the first means, the digital image signal to be stored in the memory card is stored, the digital image signal stored when the memory card is removed from the slot is held, and the digital image signal is continuously stored. By having an image memory capable of storing signals,
The image memory stores the digital image signal together with the memory card, and continuously stores the digital image signal even when the memory card is removed.

Further, according to the second means, the digital image signal which is removably inserted into the slot and which is stored in the image memory is converted into the transmission image signal based on the image transmission protocol, and the transmission image signal is transmitted to the outside. The image signal transmission card to be transmitted enables the electronic still camera to be connected to an external image processing device, a line or the like to transmit the image signal by online transmission.

Further, according to the third means, the digital image signal which is removably inserted into the slot and which is stored in the image memory is converted into a facsimile image signal based on the image transmission protocol, and this facsimile image signal is transmitted. The facsimile image signal transmitting card for transmitting to the facsimile makes it possible to connect the electronic still camera to the facsimile device and transmit the image signal.

[0012]

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

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a first embodiment of an electronic still camera according to the present invention.

Reference numeral 1 is an image pickup lens, 2 is an image pickup element composed of a CCD (charge coupled device) or the like, 3 is an A / D converter, 4 is a frame memory, 5 is a compression circuit, and 6 is a slot.
A memory card controller (not shown), a memory card 7 that can be inserted into and removed from the memory card controller 6, a decompression circuit 8, and a display unit 9 including a liquid crystal display or the like.

The light flux from the subject enters from the image pickup lens 1 and is imaged on the image pickup surface of the image pickup element 2. Image sensor 2
Converts the optical signal into an analog image signal and outputs the analog image signal to the A / D conversion unit 3. The analog image signal is converted into a digital image signal in the A / D converter 3.

The digital image signal is output to the frame memory 4 and the compression circuit 5. The frame memory 4, which is an image memory, has a capacity capable of storing a digital image signal corresponding to at least one screen. The compression circuit 5
The digital image signal from the A / D converter 3 is compressed and output to the memory card controller 6. The memory card controller 6 stores the compressed digital image signal in the memory card 7 when the memory card 7 is loaded in the slot.

The memory card controller 6 reads a digital image signal of one screen corresponding to the operation signal from the memory card 7 in response to an operation signal from an operation unit (not shown) and outputs it to the decompression circuit 8. The decompression circuit 8 decompresses the digital image signal from the memory card controller 6 and outputs it to the display unit 9, and the display unit 9
An image is reproduced and displayed based on the input digital image signal. At this time, the digital image signal output from the decompression circuit 8 can be output to the frame memory 4 by setting the operation unit.

When a new digital image signal is input, the frame memory 4 erases the stored digital image signal and stores the input digital image signal. Further, the digital image signal stored in the frame memory 4 is held until a new digital image signal is input, and the frame memory 4 can output the digital image signal to the compression circuit 5 or the display unit 9. Is configured.

The frame memory 4 stores the digital image signal from the decompression circuit 8 or the A / D conversion unit 3 to erase the image displayed on the display unit 9 and then the digital image signal from the frame memory 4. Can be displayed again, or even if the memory card 7 is removed from the slot while the A / D converter 3 is outputting the digital image signal, the digital image signal continues to be stored in the frame memory 4. Since it is stored, it is possible to prevent the digital image signal being output from being destroyed.

Of course, in the electronic still camera described above, a plurality of memory cards 7 may be provided and a digital image signal corresponding to one screen may be stored in each memory card 7, or a digital image signal of a plurality of screens may be stored. It is also possible to use the memory card 7 having a storage capacity capable of storing.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the arrangement of an electronic still camera in which an example of the image signal transmitting card in this embodiment is inserted.

Reference numeral 17 denotes an image signal transmission card which is removably inserted into the slot of the memory card controller 6,
A modulation circuit (not shown) and a terminal to which a modular jack is connected are provided.

The image signal transmitting card 17 is connected to a public line by connecting a modular jack to a terminal and a public line side terminal such as a telephone line or ISDN (Integrated Service Digital Network). The modulation circuit converts the input digital image signal into a transmission image signal based on a known image transmission protocol corresponding to the type of line and the destination device.

Next, a method of transmitting an image signal from the electronic still camera of this embodiment to an image processing apparatus such as a personal computer connected to a public line will be described.

After the user selects a digital image signal corresponding to a desired screen from the memory card 7 and stores it in the frame memory 4, or after confirming that the desired digital image signal is already stored in the memory card 7. ,
The memory card 7 is removed, and the image signal transmission card 17 is inserted into the slot of the memory card controller 6.

When the connection with the image processing apparatus of the transmission destination is completed by the public line, the digital image signal is output from the frame memory 4 to the image signal transmission card 17 via the compression circuit 5 and the memory card controller 6. The image signal transmission card 17 converts the digital image signal into a transmission image signal and transmits the transmission image signal to the image processing device connected by the public line.

The image processing apparatus converts the transmitted image signal based on the protocol, stores the converted image signal, or reproduces it on a display or recording paper.

By converting the digital image signal into a transmission image signal by the image signal transmission card 17 and transmitting the signal to the outside, the image signal obtained by the electronic still camera can be transmitted online to the external image processing device. Therefore, the image signal can be transmitted to the image processing apparatus in a short time and at low cost.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an electronic still camera in which an example of the facsimile image signal transmitting card in this embodiment is inserted.

Reference numeral 27 denotes a facsimile image signal transmission card which is inserted into and removed from the slot of the memory card controller 6 and which has an image processing circuit and a modulation circuit (not shown) and is connected to the modem 31 of the facsimile machine 30 when transmitting a signal. To be done.

The image processing circuit processes the input digital image signal by dithering or the like so that it becomes an image signal suitable for the facsimile apparatus 30. The modulation circuit converts the image-processed digital image signal into a facsimile image signal based on a protocol corresponding to the facsimile device 30.

As in the case described with reference to FIG. 2, the user selects the digital image signal corresponding to the desired screen from the memory card 7 and stores it in the frame memory 4, or the desired digital image signal is already stored in the memory card. 7
After confirming that the data is stored in the memory card 7, the memory card 7 is removed, and the facsimile image signal transmission card 27 is inserted into the slot of the memory card controller 6. As a result, the digital image signal is output from the frame memory 4 to the facsimile image signal transmission card 27 via the compression circuit 5 and the memory card controller 6. The facsimile image signal transmission card 27 performs image processing on the digital image signal, converts it into a facsimile image signal, and transmits the facsimile device 30.

The modem 31 converts the facsimile image signal based on the protocol, and the facsimile device 30 prints the image based on the converted facsimile image signal on the recording paper.

By converting the digital image signal into a facsimile image signal by the facsimile image signal transmission card 27 and transmitting it to the facsimile device 30, the image signal obtained by the electronic still camera can be already used without using a dedicated reading device. Popular facsimile machines
An image can be printed by the facsimile device 30. Further, since the image signal is subjected to image processing before being transmitted so as to be suitable for the facsimile device 30, it is possible to suppress deterioration of the image quality of the output image to the minimum.

[0035]

As described above, according to the first means of the present invention, the image memory stores the digital image signal together with the memory card, and the digital image is continuously stored even when the memory card is removed. By storing the signal, even if the memory card is removed from the slot while the A / D conversion means is outputting the digital image signal, the digital image signal is continuously stored in the image memory. The digital image signal can be prevented from being destroyed, and it is not necessary to stop the function of the image reproducing unit.

Further, according to the second means, the electronic still camera can be connected to an external image processing device, a line or the like to transmit an image signal by online transmission, so that the electronic still camera can obtain the image signal. Since it is possible to transmit the obtained image signal to the external device online, the image signal can be transmitted to the external device in a short time and at low cost.

Further, according to the third means, the image signal obtained by the electronic still camera can be transmitted by connecting the electronic still camera to the facsimile apparatus and transmitting the image signal. Can be transmitted to a facsimile device and an image can be printed by the facsimile device without using.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a first embodiment of an electronic still camera according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an electronic still camera in which an example of an image signal transmission card according to the present embodiment is inserted.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an electronic still camera in which an example of a facsimile image signal transmission card according to the present embodiment is inserted.

[Explanation of symbols]

2 ... Image sensor, 3 ... A / D converter, 4 ... Frame memory, 6 ... Memory card controller, 7 ... Memory card, 17 ... Image signal transmitting card, 27 ... Facsimile image transmitting card, 30 ... Facsimile device, 31 ... modem.

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification number Office reference number FI technical display location H04N 5/781 H04N 5/91 L

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An image pickup means for converting a subject image into an analog image signal, an A / D conversion means for converting the analog image signal into a digital image signal, and the digital image signal which is removably inserted into a slot of an apparatus main body. An electronic still camera having a memory card for storing the digital image signal to be stored in the memory card, holding the stored digital image signal when the memory card is removed from the slot, and continuing. An electronic still camera having an image memory capable of storing digital image signals. 2. An image signal transmission for converting the digital image signal, which is removably inserted into the slot and stored in the image memory, into a transmission image signal based on an image transmission protocol, and transmits the transmission image signal to the outside. The electronic still camera according to claim 1, further comprising a card. 3. A facsimile image in which the digital image signal which is removably inserted into the slot and which is stored in the image memory is converted into a facsimile image signal based on an image transmission protocol, and the facsimile image signal is transmitted to a facsimile device. The electronic still camera according to claim 1, further comprising a signal transmission card.