JPH0832005B2 - Digital electronic still camera - Google Patents

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a digital electronic still camera, and more specifically, to a memory cartridge to which a memory cartridge is detachably connected, a scene of a field is photographed, and image data representing the field is stored in the memory cartridge. The present invention relates to a digital electronic still camera of a storage type.

BACKGROUND ART A digital electronic still camera is a photographing device that photographs a field by a solid-state imaging device such as a CCD and stores an image signal representing the field in a memory in the form of digital data. As a memory, for example, a memory card in the form of a memory card mounted with a RAM, such as a semiconductor memory, is often used. In that case, data compression such as orthogonal transform coding and quantization is often performed in order to efficiently use the storage area of the memory.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a digital electronic still camera system for recording and reproducing an image signal, as shown in FIG. 2 of Japanese Patent Application No. 62-199909 filed by the same applicant as this application, image data recording is performed. A memory cartridge having a semiconductor memory is used as a medium, and a system has been proposed in which information such as the type of memory, capacity, and expiration date of a battery is stored together with image data.

The electronic camera may be configured such that a memory cartridge carrying such information is removably attached to the camera body. In such a system, in the conventional method, in order to avoid a fatal erroneous operation such as destruction of the recorded image data, the operator should set the image quality by the date and the image compression method of the image data before mounting the cartridge. The complicated operation of checking various conditions such as the mode and the free storage area of the memory had to be performed.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a digital electronic still camera with good operability, which eliminates the operation of confirming the state of the memory cartridge in the prior art.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, in a digital electronic still camera, the memory cartridge includes management data representing a state of the memory cartridge, and the digital electronic still camera captures an object scene and outputs an image signal representing the object scene. Image forming means, a signal converting means for converting an image signal into digital image data, a connecting means for detachably connecting a memory cartridge to the signal converting means, and a manual operation to prepare for photographing by the image capturing means. For generating a second instruction signal for instructing photographing by the image pickup means, and an image pickup means and a signal conversion means in response to the manual operation means. Control the
A control means for accumulating image data in the memory cartridge, wherein the control means reads the management data from the memory cartridge when the first instruction signal is given by the manual operation means, and the second instruction signal is given. The image data from the signal converting means is stored in the memory cartridge according to the read management data.

The digital electronic still camera according to the present invention has, in place of the manual operating means, manual operating means for generating an instruction signal for instructing photographing by the image pickup means, and the control means
When the memory cartridge is connected to the connecting means, the management data is read from the memory cartridge, and when the instruction signal is given from the manual operation means, the image data from the signal converting means is stored in the memory cartridge according to the read management data. But it's okay.

According to the invention, there is also provided a memory cartridge connectable to the digital electronic still camera by connecting means, the memory cartridge carrying management data.

Description of Embodiments Embodiments of a digital electronic still camera according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Referring to FIG. 1, an embodiment of a digital electronic still camera has an image pickup device 10, an image of a field is photographed by the device 10, and an image signal representing the field is stored in a memory cartridge 12 in the form of digital data. It is a photographing device that accumulates. A solid-state image pickup device such as a CCD is advantageously applied to the image pickup device 10. The image pickup lens 14 captures an image of a field, and color image signals representing the field are, for example, red (R) and green (G). And an image pickup device which outputs to the output 16 in the form of a blue (B) color component signal. This color component signal is output in the same raster scanning format as the TV signal. Other functional units such as an exposure mechanism such as a shutter and an aperture, a focusing mechanism, and the like necessary for photographing are not directly related to the understanding of the present invention, and a description thereof will be omitted.

The memory cartridge 12 is a storage device in the form of a memory card or package in which a semiconductor memory device is carried in a card-shaped base or package. In this specification, these forms are collectively referred to as a "memory cartridge". As the semiconductor memory device, various types of semiconductor memories such as SRAM and EEPROM are advantageously applied. The memory cartridge 12 is removably attached to the camera body with a connector 30. In this embodiment, any memory type cartridge 12 can be connected. As shown in FIG. 2, the memory type peculiar to a particular memory cartridge 12 is a connector 30 of the cartridge 12.
Is displayed by, for example, grounding a specific connector terminal 32 included in. Alternatively, instead of doing this, the memory type may be written in the storage area 34 of the memory 12.

Returning to FIG. 1, the output 16 of the imaging device 10 is connected to an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) 18, and the converter 18
Is a signal conversion circuit for converting an input analog image signal into corresponding digital data and outputting it to the output 20 thereof. This digital data is encoded into, for example, 8 bits for each of the color component signals RGB. The digital data output 20 is connected to the image processing unit 22.

In this embodiment, the image processing unit 22 performs preprocessing such as white balance adjustment and gradation correction, luminance color difference processing for converting color component signal data into a luminance signal and a two-phase color difference signal, and data compression and transmission. Image processing such as processing is performed on the image data, and the signal conversion processing of outputting this to the output 24 is performed. For the data compression, orthogonal transform coding and quantization such as two-dimensional discrete cosine transform can be advantageously applied. The transmission process includes, for example, a process of selecting a data transfer rate according to the memory type of the memory cartridge 12.

The data writing port 36 of the memory cartridge 12 is detachably connected to the output 24 of the image processing unit 22 by the connector 30. As a result, the data compressed and quantized image data is transferred from the image processing unit 22 to the memory cartridge 12
Is accumulated in

The image pickup device 10, the analog / digital converter 18, and the image processing unit 22 are connected to a system control unit 40 by a control line 38, and the system control unit 40 is a control circuit that controls the overall operation of the apparatus. Control line 38 from control unit 40
Is also connected to the control input 42 of the memory cartridge 12 through the connector 30. The control line 38 transfers various control signals including a synchronous clock, a memory address, a write instruction, a read instruction and the like from the control unit 40 to these constituent elements, and controls a status signal indicating the state from those elements. Department
Transfer to 40.

Also connected to the system controller 40 is a data output line 44 from the memory cartridge 12 through the connector 30. The data output line 44 includes a data read line for inputting various data read from the memory area 34 of the memory 12 to the input 46 of the control unit 40. In addition to this, the data line of the terminal 32 of the memory type information described above is also included. Contains. This data entry 46
With this, the system control unit 40 can know the state of the memory cartridge 12.

An operation display unit 48 is also connected to the system control unit 40. The operation display unit 48 includes, for example, a shutter release button of the camera, an operation button necessary for inputting an operator instruction to the apparatus including a date setting key, a date, a state of the battery 54 of the memory cartridge 12, and an empty memory. It has a display mechanism for visually or audibly displaying the state of this apparatus including the capacity and the like to the operator. For example, the shutter release button may be configured to operate in two steps. In that case, the system control unit will be described in detail later.
The shutter 40 may be configured so that the first stage of the shutter release button reads data from the memory cartridge 12 and the second stage takes an image.

Referring to FIG. 2, the storage area 34 of the memory cartridge 12 is divided into two areas 50 and 52 in this embodiment, a header is provided in the area 50, and frame numbers # 1 to #N are provided in the area 52. Image data is accumulated. The memory of these areas 50 and 52 is retained by the battery 54.

The header 50 includes a first area for storing management data common to the entire memory cartridge 12, and in this area, for example, the memory capacity of the storage area 34, the capacity or address pointer of the empty area in the storage area 34, and the battery 54 are stored. An expiration date and a write prohibition flag that allows or prohibits writing to the storage area 34 are stored. If the memory type is not displayed by the pin number of the specific connector terminal 32,
The header 50 may include the memory type. Of these common management data, the memory capacity, memory type, battery expiration date, and the like are written when the memory cartridge 12 is shipped from the factory.

The header 50 also includes a second area for storing individual management data unique to each frame of image data 52,
In this area, for example, individual management data such as a shooting date or time for each frame and an image quality mode for each frame is stored. The image quality mode is data that specifies the data compression method in which the image processing unit 22 processes the image data when the image data is stored in the cartridge 12. The image quality mode is
For example, specify the two-dimensional discrete cosine transform,
When the cartridge 12 in which the image data 52 is stored is loaded in the reproducing apparatus and an image is reproduced, the reproducing apparatus refers to the cartridge and uses the data expansion method suitable for the image quality mode.

When the operator operates the shutter release button of the operation display unit 48 during shooting, the operation display unit displays
In response to this, the system control unit 40 first confirms whether or not the cartridge 12 is connected by the memory type connector terminal 32 in response to the generation of the first instruction signal for the preparation operation for photographing. When you check the connection of the cartridge 12,
Next, the system controller 12 sends the address and the read instruction of the header storage area 50 to the memory cartridge 12 through the control line 42, and reads the management data from the cartridge 12 to the read data output 44.

The management data read from the header area 50 is, for example, common management data such as a free memory capacity, a battery expiration date, and a write prohibition flag. The data of the free memory capacity is used later for determining whether or not the image data can be written in the area 52, and when the control unit 40 identifies the existence of the free area by this, the image data is stored therein. If there is no free area, the operation display unit 48 is instructed to display that fact. The operation display unit 48 is a cartridge
A visual and / or audible indication to the operator that the image data cannot be stored in 12. Battery expiration date is battery
If it indicates that the expiration date of 54 is short or absent, the control unit 40 similarly instructs the operation display unit 48 to display that fact, and the operation display unit 48 displays the cartridge 12
Indicates that the image data of cannot be stored. The same applies when the write inhibit flag is set.

When instructed to shoot by the second step of the shutter release button, a second instruction signal is generated at the output 49. In response to this, the system control unit 40 releases the shutter to drive the image pickup device 10 with a clock, and the image pickup device 10 photographs the object scene and outputs a one-frame image signal representing the object scene. This image signal is output from the imaging device 10
It is output to the digital converter 18 and converted into corresponding digital data there. This image data is subjected to preprocessing, luminance color difference processing, and data compression by the image processing unit 22, is quantized, and is data writing input to the memory cartridge 12.
Output to 36.

At the same time, the system control unit 40 sends the address and the writing instruction of the image data storage area 52 to the memory cartridge 12 through the control line 42, whereby the image processing unit 22
The image data from is stored in the empty area of the storage area 52 together with the frame number. At that time, the system control unit
The reference numeral 40 sets the data transfer rate corresponding to the previously identified memory type in the image processing section 22, and the image data is transferred from the processing section 22 to the cartridge 12 at this transfer rate.

At the same time, the system control unit 40 transfers to the cartridge 12 the individual management data including the date and time data set from the operation display unit 48 and the time and date data and the image quality mode data indicating the data compression method performed by the image processing unit 22. This individual management data is written in the second area of the header area 50. The control unit 40 also calculates the remaining free storage capacity reduced by this storage and transfers the common management data including this to the cartridge 12. As a result, the free storage capacity data in the header area 50 is updated.

In this embodiment, the system controller 40 reads the header from the memory cartridge 12 in the first stage of the shutter release operation. According to this method, the system control unit 40
Since the storage area 34 of the cartridge 12 can be handled as if it were an internal memory, it is not necessary to fetch the header from the cartridge 12 into the storage area inside the control unit 40.

Instead of this, the system control unit 40 may be configured to read the data from the header area 50 into the storage area of the control unit 40 when the loading of the memory cartridge 12 is detected by the memory type terminal 32, for example. In such a system, the shutter release button of the operation display unit 48 does not have to be configured to operate in two steps. The operation after reading the header may be the same as described above.

Effect As described above, according to the present invention, since the state of the memory cartridge mounted in the camera is automatically confirmed prior to photographing, it is not necessary for the operator to confirm the state of the cartridge. Therefore, a digital electronic still camera with good operability is provided, and the possibility of damage to stored data due to confirmation is minimized.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram showing an embodiment of a digital electronic still camera according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an explanatory view showing an arrangement example of storage areas in a memory cartridge in the embodiment shown in FIG. Description of main part code 10 …… Imaging device 12 …… Memory cartridge 22 …… Image processing unit 30 …… Connector 34 …… Storage area 40 …… System control unit 48 …… Operation display unit 50 …… Header area 52… … Image data area

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A digital electronic still camera in which a memory cartridge is detachably connected, and an object scene is photographed and image data representing the object scene is stored in an image storage area of the memory cartridge. A first management data including information for indicating whether or not the image data can be written when the image data is written in the image storage area,
A first area for storing first management data representing a state common to the entire memory cartridge, and second management data corresponding to image data stored in the image storage area of the memory cartridge. And a second area for storing second management data representing individual information relating to the image data, wherein the camera captures the object scene and forms an image signal representing the object scene. Image pickup means, signal conversion means for converting the image signal into digital image data, connection means for detachably connecting the memory cartridge to the signal conversion means, and manual operation for photographing by the image pickup means. To generate a first instruction signal for preparing for, and then to generate a second instruction signal for instructing photographing by the image pickup means, and to respond to the manual operation means. Control means for controlling the image pickup means and the signal converting means and for accumulating the image data in the memory cartridge according to the second instruction signal, wherein the control means receives the first instruction signal by the manual operation means. When given, the first management data is read from the memory cartridge, and when the second instruction signal is given by the manual operation means,
Whether or not the image data can be written is determined based on the read first management data, and the image data from the signal conversion unit is stored in the memory cartridge via the connection unit according to the determination result. At the same time, the second management data corresponding to the image data is accumulated in the second area of the memory cartridge, and the control means is adapted to correspond to the state of the image storage area changed by the accumulation of the image data. A digital electronic still camera, wherein the first management data is updated. 2. A digital electronic still camera to which a memory cartridge is detachably connected and which photographs a field and stores image data representing the field in an image storage area of the memory cartridge. A first management data including information for indicating whether or not the image data can be written when the image data is written in the image storage area,
A first area for storing first management data representing a state common to the entire memory cartridge, and second management data corresponding to image data stored in the image storage area of the memory cartridge. And a second area for storing second management data representing individual information relating to the image data, wherein the camera captures the field and forms an image signal representing the field. Imaging means, signal conversion means for converting the image signal into digital image data, connection means for detachably connecting the memory cartridge to the signal conversion means, and an instruction signal for instructing photographing by the imaging means For operating the image pickup means and the signal conversion means in response to the manual operation means, and for generating the image data according to the instruction signal. A control means for accumulating in the ridge, the control means reading the first management data from the memory cartridge when the memory cartridge is connected to the connection means, and the instruction signal from the manual operation means. When given, it is determined whether or not the image data can be written based on the read first management data, and the image data from the signal conversion unit is transferred to the memory via the connection unit according to the determination result. And a second management data corresponding to the image data is stored in a second area of the memory cartridge, and the control means further controls a state of the image storage area changed by the storage of the image data. The digital electronic still camera is characterized in that the first management data is updated so as to correspond to. 3. The camera according to claim 1, wherein the signal conversion means includes means for compressing and outputting the image data, and the control means is related to the compression. 2. A digital electronic still camera, characterized in that the management data of No. 2 is accumulated in the second area of the memory cartridge. 4. The camera according to claim 1, wherein the control means includes means for calculating a free storage capacity in the image storage area changed by the accumulation of the image data, and the control means. The digital electronic still camera is characterized by updating the first management data in the first area based on the free storage capacity. 5. A digital electronic still camera according to claim 1, wherein said camera includes said memory cartridge connectable by said connecting means. 6. A memory cartridge connectable to the camera according to claim 1 or 2 by the connecting means, wherein the memory cartridge carries the first management data. Memory cartridge.