JPH0946573A - Video camera - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent missing of data caused by power interruption of a camera board in the video camera having a camera side CPU and a VTR side CPU. SOLUTION: A CPU 12 at a VTR side allows a camera size CPU 4 to transfer data and to store the data to a memory before power interruption of a camera board 5 and transfers the stored data to the camera size CPU 4 after application of power to the camera board 5.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a video camera, and more particularly to a microcomputer for controlling an image pickup system (hereinafter, referred to as a camera side CPU) and a microcomputer for controlling a recording system (hereinafter, referred to as a VTR side CPU). In the video camera having a configuration in which the CPU on the VTR side controls powering off and on of the camera substrate, it is devised to prevent the data related to the CPU on the camera side from being lost due to powering off.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An ordinary video camera has a camera side CPU and a VTR side CPU. If the video camera has a video tape attached to the recording system and is kept in a standby state, when a certain amount of time has passed, the VTR side CP
U automatically removes the tape from the drum and also shuts off the main power supply of the camera board.
This is to save tape. It also saves power and is called a power save function.

The power of the CPU on the VTR side is turned on and off by a main switch.

The standby state is commanded and held by a recording switch or a dedicated switch in order to protect the video tape.

[0005]

However, when the image pickup system of the video camera is operated in the manual mode, for example, the iris aperture diameter of the automatic exposure (AE) control in the manual mode is locked, and the automatic white in the manual mode is used. Balance (AWB) control red gain and blue gain, if these parameters are operated manually, if the power of the camera board is cut off, the necessary data will be lost. The operation needs to be redone.

Even when the automatic white balance control is performed in the normal auto mode, if the power of the camera board is cut off, the data up to that point will be lost. (Initial default value)
Control will be redone and it will take time.

As a countermeasure against the loss of data, it is possible to store the data in a memory or the like before the power of the camera board is shut off. However, the memory of the CPU on the camera side cannot be used because it is cleared by powering off the camera board. In addition, Japanese Patent Publication No. 4-72708
Even if an auxiliary storage device such as a floppy disk is used as in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication (printing apparatus with automatic power-off function) or Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2-294760 (electronic desk calculator), such auxiliary storage is stored in the video camera. There is no device and it is practically impossible to equip it.

An object of the present invention is to provide a video camera which eliminates the above-mentioned problems of the prior art.

[0009]

A video camera according to the present invention for solving the above-mentioned problems includes a CPU on the camera side and a CP on the VTR side.
U and a video camera having a power save function in which the CPU on the VTR side controls turning on and off of the power supply to the camera substrate, or a CPU on the camera side, a CPU on the VTR side, and a standby switch. In a video camera having a configuration in which the CPU on the VTR side controls turning off and on the power supply to the camera board unit in response to turning on and off of the CP
A means for transferring from U and holding in memory, and a camera side C
And a means for transferring the data transferred and held from the PU to the CPU on the camera side after the power of the camera board is turned on, or having means for instructing the CPU on the VTR side to the manual mode, The VTR side CPU is
When the manual mode is commanded, the data related to the camera side CPU is transferred from the camera side CPU and held in the memory before the power supply to the camera board is turned off, and the means transferred from the camera side CPU and held. Means for transferring data to the CPU on the camera side after the power of the camera board unit is turned on.

(Operation) Before the power of the camera board is shut off, the VTR side CPU and the camera side CPU communicate with each other, and necessary data is held in the memory of the VTR side CPU. After turning on the power of the camera board, CP on the VTR side
The data held in U is sent to the camera side CPU. As a result, the CPU on the camera side can continue the control using the data before the power-off.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows an example of the construction of a video camera. As an image pickup system 1, a lens section 2, a CCD 3, a CPU 4 on the camera side,
There is a camera board unit 5 on which this is mounted. Camera side CPU
Reference numeral 4 normally performs automatic exposure (AE) control, automatic white balance (AWB) control, automatic focus (AF) control, and the like, and also communicates with the VTR side CPU 12. Recording system 1
0 is a tape deck unit 11, a VTR side CPU 12, a VTR substrate unit 13 equipped with this, a standby switch 1
4, manual mode switch 15, main switch 1
6. There is a switch 17 for the main power supply for the camera board.
The tape deck unit 11 records the video signal obtained by the image pickup system 1 on a video tape. The VTR side CPU 12 performs servo control and the like of the tape deck unit 11, on / off control of the power switch 17, and communication with the camera side CPU 4. CPU 1 on VTR side while main switch 16 is on
Power is supplied to the VTR substrate unit 13 including the device 2. When the power switch 17 is turned off, the supply of main power to the camera board unit 5 is cut off. However, the power is supplied from a separate system to the camera side CPU 4 and its memory, and although these power sources do not turn off, the memory is cleared,
The camera side CPU 4 operates in a mode different from normal control,
For example, when a signal from the outside of the camera is communicated with the CPU 12 on the VTR side and is input from the terminal of the camera board unit 5,
Converted to a signal that the CPU 12 on the R side can understand
The process of sending to 2 is performed.

In this example, the VTR side CPU 12 holds the tape deck section 11 in the standby state when the video tape is inserted in the tape deck section 11 and the standby switch 14 is turned on. The power save function (tape protection and power saving) shall be activated after a certain time has passed. The recovery from the power save is performed by turning off the standby switch 14 once and then turning it on again. When the video tape is not attached, the power is supplied to the camera board unit 5 when the standby switch 14 is on, and when it is off, the power is saved by shutting off the power. Return.

The power switch 17 is turned off during power saving, and turned on upon returning from power saving.

The CPU 12 on the VTR side is the camera substrate 5
Means for transferring the data relating to the camera side CPU 4 from the camera side CPU 4 and holding it in the memory before the power of the camera side, and the camera side CPU 4 after the data transferred from the camera side CPU 4 and held is turned on. And means for transferring to.

Correspondingly, the camera side CPU 4 uses the VT
In response to a request from the CPU 12 on the R side, data is sent to the C on the VTR
It is provided with means for transferring to the PU 12, means for holding the data transferred from the VTR side CPU 12 in a memory, and means for restarting the operation by using the transferred data as an initial value.

The data transfer process of the video camera of this embodiment will be described below with reference to the VTR side CPU 12 with reference to FIGS.

In FIG. 2, when the main switch 16 is turned on, the VTR side CPU 12 initializes (step S1) and performs normal VTR control such as servo control (step S2), and then the standby switch 14 is turned on. It is determined whether it is off (step S3).

If the standby switch 16 is off, it is not in the standby state. Therefore, the VTR side CPU 12 checks whether the manual mode switch 15 is on or off (step S4). If the manual mode switch 15 is off, the parameter of the image pickup system is not manually operated by a person, so the power switch 17 is immediately turned off to turn off the power of the camera substrate unit 5 (step S9), and step S9.
Return to 2. This enters power save mode.

In step S4, the manual mode switch 1
If 5 is on, a person is manually operating the parameters of the imaging system, so the process proceeds to step S5.

In this example, before the power supply to the camera substrate 5 is cut off, a signal (flag) indicating the start of power saving is sent from the VTR side CPU 12 to the camera side CPU 4 for data transfer. If the power save flag has not been sent yet, the power save flag is sent in step S6, the camera side CPU 4 is requested to transfer data, and the process returns to step S2.

If it is determined in step S5 that it is not the first pass since the power save flag was established, the VTR side CPU 12 determines whether or not data has been received from the camera side CPU 4 (step S7). If the data has not been received, the data is received from the camera side CPU 4 and stored in the memory, and the process returns to step S2. When all the data has been received, the power switch 17 is turned off to shut off the power of the camera substrate unit 5 (step S9), and the process returns to step S2. This enters power save mode.

After entering the power save mode, the VTR
The side CPU 12 waits for communication with the camera side CPU 4 until the standby switch 14 is turned on after being turned off. VTR control is performed as usual. The camera side CPU 4 operates in another mode as described above, and when a signal is input from the outside of the camera, it sends it to the VTR side CPU 12.

A time chart of data exchange between the above-mentioned two CPUs 12 and 4 is shown in FIG. However, the communication is assumed to be performed every one field (1V) period in synchronization with the VD pulse. If there is no data to be stored in the camera side CPU 4, there will be no data exchange. In the power-off pretreatment of the camera board unit in FIG. 3, the standby switch 14 is checked for on / off.

Next, when it is determined in step S3 that the standby switch 14 is on, the VTR side CPU 1
In step S10, it is determined whether or not it is the first one field period (1V period) after the standby switch 14 is turned on. If it is the first 1V period, VTR side C
The PU 12 turns on the power switch 17 to keep the power of the camera substrate unit 5 in the on state (step S11), and returns to step S2. If it is not the first 1V period, it is determined in the next step S12 for confirmation whether the manual mode switch 15 is on or off.

If the manual mode switch 15 is turned on in step S12, it means that the person manually operated the parameters of the image pickup system first, so the process proceeds to step S13.
It is determined whether or not it is the first pass since the power of the camera board unit 5 was turned on.

If it is the first pass in the determination in step S13, the VTR side CPU 12 tells the camera side CPU 4 that
In order to recover from the power save, a signal indicating the start of transfer of the saved data (a rising flag from the power save) is sent (step S14), and the process returns to step S2. If it is not the first pass, this flag has already been sent, so the process proceeds to step S15.

In step S15, it is determined whether or not the stored data has been sent to the camera side CPU 4, but if not sent, the data is sent from the VTR side CPU 12 (step S16) and the process returns to step S2. When the sending is completed, the process proceeds to step S17. The camera side CPU 4 saves the sent data in the memory, and restarts the operation according to the manual operation from the state before the power saving with this data as an initial value.

FIG. 4 shows a time chart of data exchange between the two CPUs 12 and 4 described above.

In step S17, the VTR CPU 12 determines whether the camera CPU 4 is in the power save mode. When the process proceeds from step S15 to step S17, it is not in the power save mode, and therefore the process returns to step S2. If the process proceeds from step S12 to step S17, it may be in the power save mode, so if it is in the power save mode, the process proceeds to step S4 to perform the process as described above.

In the above-mentioned example, two CPUs 12 based on both the power save function and the standby switch 14 are used.
Although the communication is performed between the four communication terminals, the communication may be performed based on only one communication. For example, when the standby switch 14 is turned off, before the power supply to the camera board unit 5 is cut off, the CPU
Data from 4 to the CPU 12 on the VTR side and the same CP
It is held in the memory of U12, and when the standby switch 14 is turned on, V is applied to the CPU 4 after the power of the camera board unit 5 is turned on.
The data saved from the TR side CPU 12 is transferred to the camera side CPU 4, the CPU 4 saves the sent data in a memory and uses this as an initial value, and restarts the operation from the state before the power shutdown.

In the above example, the data relating to the camera side CPU 4 in the manual mode is stored in the VTR side CPU 12, but it may be the data in the normal auto mode. For example, auto white balance (AW
B) The data during control is set to V before the power supply to the camera board unit 5 is cut off.
Transfer to the CPU 12 on the TR side and save it.
The CPU 12 is returned from the side CPU 12 to the camera side CPU 4 to set the initial value. As a result, the return of the automatic white balance control after the power saving is started from the state immediately before the power saving, and the time until the white balance is converged is shortened.

Further, even when the power supply of the camera side CPU 4 and its memory is turned off and turned on together with the camera board portion 5, the processing of the above-described example can be applied.

[0034]

According to the present invention, the data related to the CPU on the camera side is transferred to the CPU on the VTR side before the power supply to the camera board is shut off.
Since the data is saved in the memory, the data can be restarted by using the same data after power-on without being lost by power-off.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a video camera according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a processing example of a VTR side CPU.

FIG. 3 shows two Cs when the power of the camera board is cut off.
The figure which shows the exchange of data between PUs.

FIG. 4 shows two Cs when the power of the camera board unit is turned on.
The figure which shows the exchange of data between PUs.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Imaging System 2 Lens Unit 3 CCD 4 Camera CPU 5 Camera Board 10 Recording System 11 Tape Deck 12 VTR CPU 13 VTR Board 14 Standby Switch 15 Manual Mode Switch 16 Main Switch 17 Camera Board Main Power Switch

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A microcomputer for controlling an image pickup system (hereinafter, referred to as a camera side CPU) and a microcomputer for controlling a recording system (hereinafter, referred to as a VTR side CPU).
In the video camera having a power saving function for controlling the power-off and power-on of the camera board section by the VTR-side CPU, the VTR-side CPU stores the data related to the camera-side CPU before the power-off of the camera board section. It is provided with means for transferring from the camera side CPU and holding it in the memory, and means for transferring the data transferred from the camera side CPU and held therein to the camera side CPU after powering on the camera board unit. Video camera. 2. A microcomputer for controlling an image pickup system (hereinafter, referred to as a camera side CPU) and a microcomputer for controlling a recording system (hereinafter, referred to as a VTR side CPU).
And a standby switch, the video camera having a configuration in which the CPU on the VTR side controls the turning off and on of the power supply to the camera board section in accordance with the turning on / off of the standby switch. Means for transferring the data related to the camera side CPU from the camera side CPU and holding it in the memory, and means for transferring the data transferred from the camera side CPU and held therein to the camera side CPU after the power of the camera board is turned on. And a video camera. 3. The video camera according to claim 1, further comprising means for instructing a VTR-side CPU to a manual mode, wherein the VTR-side CPU supplies power to the camera board unit when the manual mode is instructed. A means for transferring data related to the camera side CPU from the camera side CPU before the interruption and holding it in the memory, and a data transferred and held from the camera side CPU to the camera side CPU after the power of the camera board is turned on. A video camera, comprising: