JPH0832912A - Electronic still camera with continuously shooting function - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide an electronic still camera which can cope with continuous shooting for a long time and can reduce the losing probability of shutter chances by storing temporarily the excessive amount of record in a memory to the full of its capacity if a continuously shooting sheet number more than the actually recordable sheet number is set for a recording medium. CONSTITUTION:A sheet number A deciding circuit 24 decides the remaining recordable sheet number A of a recording medium 12 via a reproduction circuit 10 and an A/D converter 4. Then a sheet number A display circuit 27 shows the decided number A. At the same time, a capacity B deciding circuit 25 decides the remaining recordable capacity B of a memory 5. A settable continuously shooting sheet number display circuit 28 shows the sheet number C that is decided by a continuously shootable sheet number C deciding circuit 26 based on the outputs of both circuits 24 and 25. A continuously shooting sheet number setting switch 15 accepts the continuously shooting data if the actual continuously shooting sheet number is smaller than the number C displayed by the circuit 28 and records the data on the medium 12 via a lens 1, an image pickup element 2, a signal processing part 3 and a converter 4. When the sheet number A is recorded on the medium 12, the following continuously shooting sheets are stored in the memory 5 and then recorded on another medium 12 by switching. Thus the continuous shooting is possible for a long time and the losing probability of shutter changes can be reduced.

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 having a continuous shooting function, and more particularly to an electronic still camera having a continuous shooting function which is characterized by a mechanism and method for storing, recording and displaying continuous shooting.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Firstly, conventionally, there has been proposed an electronic still camera provided with a continuous shooting mode and a method of presetting the number of continuous shootings. However, in this conventional technique, when the continuous shooting is set, continuous shooting cannot be performed with the number of sheets larger than the actual recordable number.

Secondly, in the continuous shooting of the conventional electronic still camera, when recording on a floppy disk having a part of empty tracks, the empty tracks are filled in from the outer peripheral side. Therefore, continuous shooting may occur on discrete empty tracks, which is inconvenient for subsequent processing.

Thirdly, in the continuous shooting of the conventional electronic still camera, the continuous shooting is performed by continuously pressing the release button.
Unless you stop shooting, you cannot release the release button during that time.Therefore, if the operator accidentally releases the release button during continuous shooting, the shooting may be interrupted, or the release button may be released longer than necessary. There is a problem that if the button is kept pressed, an excessive amount of recording tracks on a recording medium such as a floppy disk will be consumed. Also,
In the case of erasing extra tracks that have been recorded unnecessarily many, there is a problem that which track should be erased is not known unless reproduced once.

Fourthly, in the continuous shooting of the conventional electronic still camera, there is no one in which the continuous shooting interval can be arbitrarily variably set, and it is not necessary to display the fact when the continuous shooting is completed one by one. There is no display of the number of recorded tracks used only for, only the number of already recorded tracks and the number of remaining recordable tracks was displayed, so
During continuous shooting, there is no function of displaying in synchronization with the continuous shooting interval, and when the subject moves, it was not possible to easily determine whether the movement of the subject image and the continuous shooting interval were well matched.

Fifthly, the continuous shooting of the conventional electronic still camera may be provided with a multi-screen display mode, and the operation of displaying the continuously shot images by multi-screen display is often used. However, in the conventional multi-screen display mode, only the images recorded on the floppy disk are displayed in the order of recording tracks, and there is a mode in which only the number of frames used for continuous shooting can be displayed in multi-screen. It was difficult to confirm and reset whether the continuous shooting interval was appropriate or whether it was suitable for the movement of the subject.

[0007]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the first object of the present invention is to perform recording when the number of continuous shots exceeds the number of sheets that can be actually recorded on a recording medium. The number of continuous shots that can be actually taken can be increased by temporarily recording it in a temporary storage medium such as a memory provided in the previous stage of recording on the medium within the allowable range of the capacity. If you set the number of continuous shots that exceeds the actual recordable number of recording media in the electronic still camera with continuous shooting function that can be set in advance, as long as the memory capacity allows, the amount of recording that exceeds the actual recordable number will be temporarily We propose an electronic still camera with a continuous shooting function that has a function of holding it in memory.

In the second aspect of the present invention, when recording is performed on a partially recorded floppy disk, continuous recording is possible so that a preset number of continuous shots can be continuously recorded from the remaining empty track group. We propose an electronic still camera with a continuous shooting function, which has a function of selecting a specific track group, selecting the smallest track group from the selected track groups, and performing continuous shooting recording on the track group.

A third aspect of the present invention is to set a continuous shooting number setting mode capable of storing an arbitrary plurality of images in a single shooting operation and set a continuous shooting time interval to an arbitrary length. We propose an electronic still camera with continuous shooting function, which has a continuous shooting interval setting mode.

The fourth aspect of the present invention is that only one photographing operation is performed.
When the image data is stored in the storage means in the camera, it is provided with a continuous shooting number setting mode capable of storing arbitrary plural images and a continuous shooting interval setting mode capable of arbitrarily changing the continuous shooting interval. At the same time, we propose an electronic still camera with a continuous shooting function, which has a display means for displaying that effect and a display means for displaying the number of continuous shots.

A fifth aspect of the present invention proposes an electronic still camera with a continuous shooting function having a mode for displaying only the number of frames photographed in one continuous shooting operation by the multi-screen output mechanism.

[0012]

According to the first configuration of the present invention, the latter half of continuous shooting in which the actual number of recordable sheets is exceeded is secured in the temporary storage medium (memory) provided in the preceding stage of the recording medium.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, when the operator intends to perform continuous shooting, the number of continuous shots is set, and by pressing the release button only once at the start of continuous shooting, the set number of continuous shots can be taken. The copying is executed, and the continuously recorded images are recorded in continuous tracks.

According to the third structure of the present invention, when the operator intends to take continuous shots, the number of continuous shots is set, and the release button is pressed only once at the start of continuous shots, and the set number of consecutive shots is taken. Take a picture.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, when the operator intends to perform continuous shooting, the number of continuous shots is set, and when the continuous shooting is started, the release button is pressed only once, and the set number of continuous shots is taken. Each time you execute a copy and it is stored in the storage means one by one,
It is displayed by the display means. According to the fifth configuration of the present invention, the recording tracks used for one continuous shooting are grouped,
Record that information on the cue track.

[0016]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 to 6 show an embodiment of the present invention, in which the same parts are designated by the same reference numerals. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a first embodiment of the present invention, in which 1 is a lens, 2 is an image sensor, 3 is a signal processing unit, 4 is an AD converter, 5 is a memory, 6 is a DA converter, and 8 is recording. Reference numeral 10 is a reproducing circuit, 12 is a recording medium, 14 is a system controller, 15 is a continuous shooting number setting switch, 22 is an encoder, 23 is a monitor, 24 is a recording medium remaining recordable number determination circuit, and 25 is remaining recording in memory. A possible capacity determination circuit, a continuous shooting number determination circuit 26, a recording medium remaining number display circuit 27, and a settable continuous number display circuit 28.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. The remaining recordable number of the recording medium 12 is set to the reproduction circuit 10,
The determination is made by the remaining recording medium remaining number determination circuit 24 in the system controller 14 through the AD converter 4. The data obtained by the remaining recording medium remaining number determination circuit 24 is displayed on the remaining recording medium number display circuit 27. The remaining recordable capacity of the memory 5 is determined by the in-memory remaining recordable capacity determination circuit 25 in the system controller 14. Based on the outputs of the recording medium remaining recordable number determination circuit 24 and the in-memory remaining recordable capacity determination circuit 25, the continuous recordable number determination circuit 26 determines the number of continuous recordable sheets. The data obtained from the continuous shooting number determining circuit 26 is displayed by the settable continuous shooting number display circuit 28.

The continuous shooting number setting switch 15 accepts if it is smaller than the number displayed on the settable continuous shooting number display circuit 28. The continuously shot data includes the lens 1, the image sensor 2, the signal processing unit 3, the AD converter 4, the memory 5, and the DA.
After being recorded on the recording medium 12 through the converter 6 and the recording circuit 8 and recording the final recordable number on the recording medium 12, the continuous shooting after that is kept in the memory 5. When the recording medium is replaced with another recording medium, the data temporarily stored in the memory 5 is recorded. It is also possible to display it on the monitor without recording it and delete it if unnecessary. Further, the present invention can be stored in the memory not only during continuous shooting but also during normal shooting of each image or when the recording medium is full.

FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of a second embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 2, 1 is a lens, 2 is an image pickup element,
3 is a signal processing unit, 4 is an AD converter, 5 is a memory, 6
Is a DA converter, 7 is a modulation circuit, 8 is a recording circuit, 9 is a demodulation circuit, 10 is a reproducing circuit, 11 is a recording / reproducing head, 1
Reference numeral 3 denotes a sync separation circuit for generating a vertical sync signal (hereinafter, referred to as VD) of photographed image data, 14 is a system controller, 15 is a continuous shooting number setting switch, 16 is a continuous shooting interval setting switch for determining continuous shooting speed, 21 is a memory controller, 22 is an encoder that operates during playback, and 2
Reference numeral 9 is a continuous track recording mode selection switch, 30 is an envelope detection circuit, 31 is a signal presence / absence determination circuit, and 34 is a floppy disk.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. The photographer can select the continuous track recording mode selection switch 2
9 is turned on, the continuous shooting interval setting switch 16 sets the continuous shooting interval, and the continuous shooting number setting switch 15 sets the continuous shooting number. With only one release operation by the photographer, the continuous shooting operation is started according to the set continuous shooting interval and the set number of continuous shootings. The subject image immediately after the start of the continuous shooting operation passes through the lens 1, the image pickup element 2, the signal processing unit 3, and the AD converter 4, becomes digital image data, and is written in the memory 5. The written image data is returned to analog image data through the DA converter 6 and is converted into a recording modulation signal through the modulation circuit 7. This modulated signal is recorded on the floppy disk 34 through the recording circuit 8 and the recording / reproducing head 11.

When the recorded image is reproduced and viewed, the analog image data is demodulated by the demodulation circuit 9 through the reproduction circuit 10 through the recording / reproduction head 11 and output to the monitor 23 through the encoder 22. Is displayed. A vertical sync signal VD is generated from the sync separation circuit 13 based on the analog image data obtained from the signal processing unit 3 and is input to the system controller 21. The memory controller 21 is controlled according to the timing of the VD input to the system controller 21 to write the continuously shot image data in the memory 5 in accordance with the previously set consecutive shooting interval and the number of continuously shot images. When the continuous track recording mode selection switch 29 is turned on, a recorded track in the floppy disk 34 is searched. First, all tracks are reproduced, and the position of the empty track group and the number of individual tracks are stored in the system controller 21 through the recording / reproducing head 11, the reproducing circuit 10, the envelope detecting circuit 30, and the signal presence / absence determining circuit 31. When the number of continuous shots is set by the continuous shot number setting switch 15 based on this information, an empty track group corresponding to the number of continuous shots is searched for, and the recording / reproducing head 11 is moved to the first track of the empty tracks. Prepare for continuous shooting command.

When the release operation is performed, continuous shooting is started. When the continuous shooting is completed, the empty track used for the continuous shooting is changed to a recorded track in the system controller 21 and disappears from the empty track group.

FIG. 3 shows a block diagram of the third embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 4 shows a timing diagram for explaining the memory writing method of the present embodiment. In FIG. 3, 1 is a lens,
2 is an image sensor, 3 is a signal processing unit, 4 is an AD converter,
5 is a memory, 6 is a DA converter, 7 is a modulation circuit, 8 is a recording circuit, 9 is a demodulation circuit, 10 is a reproduction circuit, 11 is a recording / reproducing head, and 13 is a vertical synchronizing signal (hereinafter referred to as VD A sync separation circuit for generating
Is a system controller, 15 is a continuous shooting number setting switch, 16 is a continuous shooting interval setting switch that determines the continuous shooting speed, 22 is an encoder that operates during reproduction, 34 is a floppy disk which is a magnetic recording medium, and 35 is a digital signal processor (hereinafter Reference numeral 36 designates a normal photographing / normal continuous photographing / inventive continuous photographing (hereinafter referred to as one-time continuous photographing) switch.

Next, the configuration of FIG. 3 will be described in detail. The photographer 36 presses the normal shooting / normal continuous shooting / inventive continuous shooting switch 36 once to select continuous shooting, and the continuous shooting interval setting switch 1
6 sets the continuous shooting interval, and the continuous shooting number setting switch 15 sets the continuous shooting number. With one release operation of the photographer, the continuous shooting operation is started in accordance with the set continuous shooting interval and the set number of continuous shootings.

The subject image immediately after the start of the continuous shooting operation passes through the lens 1, the image pickup device 2, the signal processing unit 3 and the AD converter 4, becomes digital image data, and is written in the memory 5. The written image data is subjected to signal processing by the DSP 35, returned to analog image data through the DA converter 6, and converted into a recording modulation signal through the modulation circuit 7. This modulated signal is recorded on the floppy disk 34 through the recording circuit 8 and the recording / reproducing head 11.

When the recorded image is reproduced and viewed, it is demodulated into analog image data by the demodulation circuit 9 through the reproduction circuit 10 through the recording / reproduction head 11 and output to the monitor 23 through the encoder 22. Is displayed. Based on the analog image data obtained from the signal processing section 3, the vertical separation signal VD is generated from the synchronization separation circuit 13 and is input to the system controller 14. Using the VD timing input to the system controller 14, continuous shooting control is performed according to the continuous shooting interval and the number of continuous shootings set previously. In accordance with the above control, the continuously shot image data is written in the memory 5.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. First, the photographer sets the continuous shooting interval and the number of continuous shootings.
For example, when the continuous shooting interval is set to the maximum speed A and the number of continuous shootings is set to N, the memory write commands A to N in the figure are selected. Next, when the photographer performs a release operation once, the continuous shooting start switch is turned on, and N consecutive image data between the VD immediately after the operation and the Nth VD are written in the memory 5. (Memory write instruction A-N in the figure). Further, when it is desired to increase the continuous shooting interval by P times, VDs to be counted are evenly skipped by P-1 so that they can be written in the memory (the memory write command P (A-N) in the figure is selected). It is also possible to change the continuous shooting interval. For example, like the memory write command B, the continuous shooting interval is set to be long in the first half of continuous shooting.
The interval can be gradually shortened and lengthened again in the latter half of continuous shooting (select the memory write command BN in the figure). As described above, every image writing interval can be set in advance, and the continuous shooting pattern that is frequently used can be memorized in the system controller 14, so that the continuous shooting pattern desired to be taken can be selected instantly. .

FIG. 5 shows a block diagram of a fourth embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 5, 1 is a lens, 37 is a mechanical drive circuit, 2 is an image sensor, 3 is a signal processing unit, 4 is an AD converter, 5 is a memory, 6 is a DA converter, 8 is a recording circuit, and 13 is a sync separation circuit. , 14 is a system controller, 15 is a continuous shooting number setting switch, 16 is a continuous shooting interval setting switch, 21 is a memory controller, 38 is an image sensor driving circuit, 39 is an image signal output circuit, and 40 and 41 are one screen for continuous shooting. A light emitting element which emits light each time the memory writing is completed, and a buzzer which notifies the completion of writing.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. First, the 15 continuous shooting number setting switch 15 and the 16 continuous shooting interval setting switch 16 are used to set the continuous shooting number and continuous shooting interval,
Next, in one release operation, the continuous shooting operation is started according to the set continuous shooting interval and the set number of continuous shootings. The subject image immediately after the start of the continuous shooting operation is the lens 1, the image sensor 2, the signal processing unit 3,
It becomes digital image data through the AD converter 4,
It is written in the memory 5. The written image data is DA
The analog image data is returned through the converter 6 and input to the recording circuit 8 or the image signal output circuit 39.

Based on the analog image data obtained by the signal processing unit 3, the vertical separation signal VD is generated from the synchronization separation circuit 13 and input to the system controller 14. Using the VD timing input to the system controller 14, according to the previously set continuous shooting interval and the number of continuous shooting,
A continuous shooting control signal is sent to the memory controller 21. Memory controller 21 which has received a control signal for continuous shooting
Sends a memory write signal to the memory 5 to write the image data in the memory 5. The system controller 14 monitors the memory write signal, and drives the light emitting element 40 and the buzzer 41 when the writing of the image data for one screen is completed.

FIG. 6 shows a block diagram of the fifth embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 6, 1 is a lens, 2 is an image sensor,
3 is a signal processing unit, 4 is an AD converter, 5 is a memory, 6
Is a DA converter, 8 is a recording circuit, 10 is a reproducing circuit, 1
4 is a system controller, 34 is a floppy disk, 14 is a system controller, 15 is a continuous shooting number setting switch, 22 is an encoder, 23 is a monitor, and 42 is a multi-processing circuit.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. With the single release operation of the photographer, the continuous shooting operation is started according to the set number of continuous shootings. The subject image immediately after the start of the continuous shooting operation is the lens 1, the image sensor 2, the signal processing unit 3AD.
After passing through the converter 4, it becomes digital image data and is written in the memory 5. The written image data is D
Returned to analog image data through A converter 6,
It is converted into a recording modulation signal through the recording circuit 8 and the reproducing circuit 10. This modulated signal is recorded on the floppy disk 34. At this time, the system controller 14 stores (groups) the continuously recorded tracks, and stores the information in the cue track after the continuous shooting is completed.

When it is desired to display only the continuously shot images in a multi-image display, the information of the cue track is read, the track used for the continuous shooting is read and stored in the memory 5, and the multi-processing circuit 42 multi-displays it and displays it on the monitor 23. To do. Further, when the recorded image is reproduced and viewed, it is demodulated into analog image data through the recording circuit 8 and the reproduction circuit 10 and output to the monitor 23 through the encoder 22.

[0034]

As described above, according to the present invention (first embodiment), it is possible to continuously shoot more than the actual recordable number of sheets of the recording medium, and to continuously shoot for a longer time than normal continuous shooting. It can also be used for copying. Further, even if the recording medium is partially recorded, continuous shooting can be continuously performed without immediately exchanging the recording medium with a new recording medium, and thus the probability of missing a shutter opportunity for continuous shooting is reduced.

Further, according to the present invention (second embodiment), continuous shooting is executed for the set number of tracks even if there are partially recorded tracks, and the continuously recorded images are recorded on continuous tracks. So it's easy to see when you look at it later. In addition, when the flash is reproduced, if the continuously shot images are continuously recorded, it is easy to understand the movement of the subject.

Further, according to the present invention (third embodiment), continuous shooting can be performed by only one release operation. Further, since the continuous shooting interval and the number of continuous shooting can be freely set in advance, the practically optimum continuous shooting interval can be set, and the continuous shooting number is not wastefully consumed.

Further, according to the present invention (fourth embodiment), in the electronic still camera in which the continuous shooting interval and the number of continuous shooting can be freely set in advance, the light emitting element lights up corresponding to the continuous shooting interval, By buzzing, you can check whether the continuous shooting interval (continuous shooting speed) is appropriate during continuous shooting, or whether it matches the movement of the subject well.
It is possible to quickly reset the continuous shooting interval. You can also easily check that you have taken the required number of shots.

Further, according to the present invention (fifth embodiment), only continuous shot images can be easily displayed in a multi-image form.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a timing diagram illustrating a memory write operation according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 lens 2 image sensor 3 signal processing unit 4 AD converter 5 memory 6 DA converter 7 modulation circuit 8 recording circuit 9 demodulation circuit 10 reproducing circuit 11 recording / reproducing head 12 recording medium 13 sync separation circuit 14 system controller 15 continuous shooting number setting switch 16 Continuous shooting interval setting switch 21 Memory controller 22 Encoder 23 Monitor 24 Recording medium remaining recordable number determination circuit 25 Remaining recordable capacity determination circuit 26 Memory continuous recording number determination circuit 27 Recording medium remaining number display circuit 28 Settable continuous recording number Display circuit 29 Continuous track recording mode selection switch 30 Envelope detection circuit 31 Signal presence / absence determination circuit 32 Head moving mechanism 33 Disk motor control circuit 34 Floppy disk 35 Digital signal processor 36 Normal shooting / normal Copy / invention continuous changeover switch 37 mechanical system driving circuit 38 the image pickup device driving circuit 39 the image signal output circuit 40 light-emitting element 41 a buzzer 42 multiprocessing circuit

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. An electronic still camera with a continuous shooting function capable of presetting the number of continuous shots, and when the number of continuous shots exceeds the actual recordable number of recording media, as long as the memory capacity permits, the actual recordable number An electronic still camera with a continuous shooting function, which is equipped with a function to temporarily store the amount of recorded data that exceeds the limit in the memory. 2. In an electronic still camera with a continuous shooting function capable of presetting the number of continuous shots, when recording on a partially recorded floppy disk, the preset number of continuous shots is interrupted from the remaining empty track group. The continuous shooting function is characterized by having a function of selecting a continuously recordable track group, selecting the smallest track group from among them, and continuously recording on that track group so that recording can be performed without recording. Electronic still camera. 3. An electronic still camera with a continuous shooting function,
Equipped with a continuous shooting number setting mode capable of storing arbitrary plural images with only one shooting operation, and a continuous shooting interval setting mode setting a continuous shooting time interval to an arbitrary length. An electronic still camera with a continuous shooting function. 4. An electronic still camera with a continuous shooting function,
A storage means in the camera is provided with a continuous shooting number setting mode capable of storing a plurality of arbitrary images by a single shooting operation and a continuous shooting interval setting mode capable of arbitrarily changing the continuous shooting interval. An electronic still camera with a continuous shooting function, which is provided with display means for displaying image data stored in, and the mode contents and the number of continuous shots. 5. An electronic still camera with a continuous shooting function,
An electronic still camera with a continuous shooting function, which has a multi-screen output function and is equipped with a mode for displaying only the number of frames shot in one continuous shooting operation on a multi-screen.