JPH0937125A - Camera - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a camera which can be efficiently used and formed while sufficiently considering the use convenience of a user in order to miniaturize and lighten the power source of the camera. SOLUTION: Concerning the camera with which an image electronically fetched into the camera is temporarily stored in a storage device 4 and that image is transferred (5) to another device by radio wave, light or others, this camera is provided with a power supply switch 9 for enabling the image fetching operation of this camera and only when this switch is turned off, the image can be transferred. Thus, the drop of a power supply voltage 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 camera which captures an image using a photoelectric conversion element such as a CCD, temporarily stores the image, and then transfers the image to another.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, many proposals have been made to provide an electronic camera with an image transmission device. For example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 4-1
There are 70881 and the like, but most of them have been applied for how to send an image captured by an electronic camera.

[0003]

However, in such a portable device, its portability is an important factor, and its miniaturization and weight reduction greatly affect its commercialability. Among them, how to use the power source is also a very important theme.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a camera which is used efficiently in order to keep its power source small and light, and which is also made in consideration of user's convenience.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, in the present invention, a plurality of functions are operated in time series in order to improve the efficiency of battery use. In addition, before the image transfer is started, it is sufficiently checked so as not to cause waste (if aborted in the middle, the amount sent up to that point is wasted).

[0006]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION According to a first aspect of the present invention, an image electronically captured in a camera is temporarily stored in a storage device, and the image is transmitted by a radio wave. Alternatively, a camera that transfers to another device by light or the like has a power switch that enables the image capturing operation of the camera, and allows the image transfer only when the switch is turned off. With this configuration, it is possible to reduce the decrease in the power supply voltage.

As a specific configuration for achieving the object of the invention according to the present application, as described in claim 2, the image transfer preparation operation is started in association with the operation of turning off the power switch of the camera. It is a thing. With this configuration, it is possible to quickly transfer the image.

Another specific configuration for achieving the object of the invention according to the present application is to prohibit the image capturing operation when the battery level of the power supply device decreases as described in claim 3. The transfer operation of the preceding image is prohibited. With this configuration, the image can be preferentially captured.

Still another specific configuration for achieving the object of the invention according to the present application is, as described in claim 4, that the battery capacity necessary for completing the image transfer operation is left prior to the image transfer operation. If it is determined that it is insufficient, the transfer operation is prohibited. With this configuration, it is possible to prevent the battery voltage from decreasing.

The structure for realizing the object of the invention according to the present application is, as described in claim 5, before the transfer of images.
Whether or not transfer of the image is required can be set, and only the image for which transfer is set is transferred in response to the transfer start operation.
With this configuration, it is possible to transfer only the images that need to be transferred.

As a specific configuration for achieving the object of the invention according to the present application, as described in claim 6, for an image for which image transfer has been completed, an image transfer completed identification signal is added to the file. Is. According to this configuration, the transferred image can be identified.

A specific configuration for achieving the object of the invention according to the present application is, as described in claim 7, whether the image file is erased at the time when the transfer completion is confirmed in advance before the image transfer. It has a configuration in which it can be set whether to keep it as it is. With this configuration, the image file is not saved unnecessarily.

As a concrete configuration for realizing the object of the invention according to the present application, as described in claim 8, it is possible to set a signal indicating the necessity of saving the file after image transfer to each image file. The configuration is changeable before the image transfer. With this configuration, it is possible to reliably save the image file.

[0014]

【Example】

(First Embodiment) FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the outline of the present invention. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 is an image sensor using a photoelectric conversion element such as a CCD, 2 is an A / D converter for receiving an output from the image sensor 1 and appropriately amplifying it, and then converting the image signal into a digital signal with good timing. Performs various kinds of processing for improving the image quality of the digitized image signal, for example, γ conversion of the image and the like, and further performs compression processing of the image signal for further storage (for example, according to the standard such as JPEG). Four
May be a memory for storing image signals, such as an IC card used in a notebook computer or the like. Reference numeral 5 denotes a device for transmitting the image signal stored in the memory 4, which has a portion called a modem for modulating the serially read image signal into a signal suitable for transmitting and a portion of a wireless telephone.

Reference numeral 6 denotes a central processing unit for controlling the sequence of the entire camera, which is a so-called microcomputer. 7
Is a power supply device for supplying power to the entire camera, which turns on / off the power supply to each part, stabilizes the voltage, and monitors the remaining battery level. 8 is a battery which is a power source, 9
Is a power switch of the camera, and 10 is a setting switch for automatic transmission.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing the outline of the operation of the first embodiment of the present invention. Each step is abbreviated as S. First, the shooting operation of the camera will be described. Prior to photographing, the power switch is turned on (S1). Transmission device 5
Power is supplied to other circuits except for, and a photographing preparation operation such as opening the lens cover is performed by a mechanism (not shown). When the release button is pressed toward the subject to be photographed (S2), auto focus and the like operate to perform an appropriate exposure operation (S3). The image signal is digitally converted from the CCD 1 by the A / D converter 2, image-processed by the image processing circuit 3, compressed, and then sent to the memory 4 for storage.

Thereafter, if necessary, a plurality of images are taken and stored in the memory 4, respectively. The number of images that can be stored in the memory 4 depends on the capacity of the memory used, but at least about 10 images can be stored. When the shooting is completed, the power of the camera is turned off (S4). At this time, it is determined whether or not the image automatic transfer switch 10 is turned on (S5), and if it is turned on, the transmission device 5 is turned on by a command from the CPU 6, and the setting is performed according to a preset procedure. The image file is automatically transferred by dialing the transfer destination of the specified image.At this time, the remaining battery capacity required for transfer is predicted from the capacity of the file to be transferred and the transfer speed of the line, and the transfer is completed. The remaining amount of the battery 8 checked when the device is turned on is compared (S
6) If the transfer is sufficient to complete the transfer, the image file is transmitted, and if it is predicted that the transfer is not sufficient to complete the transfer, the display indicating that transfer is not possible is displayed without dialing (S8), and the process ends.

(Second Embodiment) Next, a second embodiment of the present invention in which file transfer can be selected will be described.

FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram of the second embodiment. The basic configuration is the same as in the first embodiment. The difference from the first embodiment is that an LCD display 11 and a mode changeover switch 12 are newly added. Does this mode changeover switch 12 need to transmit the image after photographing? This switch is used to set whether or not to delete files after transfer. This makes it possible to take pictures one after another by selecting from a large number of taken pictures, transferring the pictures, deleting the pictures from the memory, and taking new pictures into the memory. There is also a case where it is desired to keep the image data in the memory even after the transfer so that the image can be recovered even if a trouble occurs in an important photo.

Therefore, in the second embodiment, it is possible to set in advance whether or not the transfer image is left in the memory by the mode switch 12.

The operation will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. Prior to shooting, the mode switch 12 determines whether the file is erased or left as it is after the image transfer is completed while watching the characters displayed on the LCD display 11.
To set (S11). Then power switch 9
Is input (S12), and photographing is performed in the same manner as in the first embodiment. Then, while watching the display on the LCD display (S
13), using the mode selector switch 12, whether or not to transfer the captured image and whether or not to save the file are set (S).
14).

Thereafter, the power of the camera is turned off (S1
5) It is determined whether or not the image automatic transfer switch 10 is turned on (S16), and at this time, the battery remaining amount required for transfer is predicted from the capacity of the file to be transferred and the transfer speed of the line, and the transmission device Is compared with the remaining amount of the battery 8 checked when the power is turned on (S18), and if the transfer is sufficient, the image file is transmitted (S1).
9). If it is predicted that the transfer will not be completed, the process ends. Next, it is confirmed whether or not the file should be deleted (S20), and if the file can be deleted, the file is deleted (S21), and the process ends. FIG. 5 shows a display example of the LCD display 11 in S13.

In FIG. 5, XX next to the counter number indicates the necessity of image transfer, and XX next to it indicates whether or not it is finally necessary to save. For example, the first one transfers the image and keeps it after that, the second one does not need to transfer the image but keeps the file, the third one transfers the image, Is completed, the file is deleted, etc.

Initial values of these are set in advance, and if they are not operated, they are processed when the power switch is turned off according to the initial settings.

[0025]

As described above, according to each of the claims of the present invention, it is possible to make the most effective use of the small-sized power supply device permitted as a portable device, and to improve the operability and image quality. The transfer can be performed. In addition, it is possible to effectively utilize the memory means for storing the image, and it is a thorough pursuit of effective utilization of the small electronic camera.

Further, in order to improve the efficiency of battery use, it is possible to perform a plurality of functions in time series.

Furthermore, if the image transfer is aborted midway, it is difficult to continue the process thereafter, and there is a great possibility that the amount sent up to that point will be wasted. Therefore, it is important to do a thorough check before starting to prevent the waste, and it is possible.

[Brief description of drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an operation flow of the first embodiment of the present invention.

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

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an operation flow of the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of an LCD display according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 CCD for image capturing 2 A / D converter 3 Image processing circuit 4 Image memory 5 Digital signal transmission device 6 Control microcomputer 7 Power supply device 8 Battery 9 Camera power switch 10 Automatic transmission setting switch 11 LCD display 12 Mode switch

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. A camera, which temporarily stores an image captured electronically in the camera in a storage device and transfers the image to another device by radio waves, light, or the like, enables the image capturing operation of the camera. Has a power switch,
A camera which enables image transfer only when the switch is turned off. 2. The camera according to claim 1, wherein a preparatory operation for image transfer is started in association with an operation of turning off a power switch of the camera. 3. A photoelectric conversion element that captures a subject image as an electronic image, a storage device that stores the photoelectrically converted image signal, and a transfer device that transfers the image signal stored in the storage device. In a camera that supplies power for a single power supply device, the image transfer operation is prohibited before the image capture operation is prohibited when the remaining battery power of the power supply device decreases. A camera to do. 4. The camera according to claim 1, wherein it is determined whether or not the battery capacity necessary for completing the transfer operation of the image remains before the image transfer operation, and if it is determined that the battery capacity is insufficient, the transfer operation is performed. A camera having means for prohibiting. 5. An electronic camera comprising a photoelectric conversion element for capturing a subject image, a storage device for storing the photoelectrically converted image signal, and a transfer device for transferring the image signal stored in the storage device. If it is before, the necessity of transfer of the image can be set, and only the image set as the transfer required is transferred in response to the transfer start operation. 6. The camera according to claim 5, wherein an image transfer completed identification signal is added to the file for an image for which image transfer has been completed. 7. A camera provided with a photoelectric conversion element for capturing a subject image, a storage device for storing the photoelectrically converted image signal, and a transfer device for transferring the image signal stored in the storage device. A camera having a configuration capable of setting whether to delete the image file or to retain the image file at a time point when transfer completion is confirmed in advance. 8. The camera according to claim 7, wherein a signal indicating the necessity of saving the file after the image transfer can be set for each image file, and the setting can be changed before the image transfer. A camera characterized by having.