JPH0951498A - Image recording and reproducing system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reproduce and display dynamic and still image files through linking by storing a still image in the high resolution mode at an optional point of time while a dynamic image in a usual resolution mode is being recorded and recording a switching history so as to reference the history later. SOLUTION: When recording command on an entry menu of a monitor 8 is sent to a video processing section 9, motion image data are read in a RAM 3 by a camera section 10 and stored in a moving image file of an auxiliary recording device 5. When a still image recording button is depressed on the way, still image data are read and stored in a still image file with a switching history and dynamic image data recording is restarted again. In the case of reproduction, at first the switching history is read and whether an image is a still image or a dynamic image is discriminated, and in the case of the dynamic image, the image is read from the dynamic image file and displayed. In the case of the still image, a still image button is displayed on the entry menu for a prescribed time by a timer 4 and when the button is depressed, the dynamic image reproduction processing is stopped and the still image reproduction processing is started. Thus, at which point of time the high resolution image is recorded is easily recognized and the excellent operability is obtained.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image recording / reproducing system using a camera.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An optical axis of incident light incident on an image pickup surface such as a CCD (image pickup device) sensor is optically displaced by a specific amount (for example,
A system that generates a high-resolution image by combining multiple images that have been picked up in the right direction, the downward direction, and the lower right direction (1/2 pixel), records it as a still image file, and reproduces and displays it well known.

A system for digitizing and capturing a video signal from a normal television camera, recording the video signal as a moving image file, and reproducing and displaying the same is also well known in the art.

[0004]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional example, it was difficult to record a high-resolution still image at an arbitrary point during the recording of the normal-resolution image. Further, there is a drawback that it is not possible to know at what point in time the high resolution image was recorded because the normal resolution recorded image and the high resolution recorded image are recorded separately.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems of the prior art, and an object thereof is to easily record a high resolution still image at an arbitrary time during recording of a normal resolution image. It is an object of the present invention to provide an image recording / reproducing system having good operability and capable of easily recognizing at which point in time a high-resolution image is recorded.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, the image recording / reproducing system of the present invention comprises an image inputting means having a normal resolution mode and a high resolution mode, and an input image inputted by the image inputting means. Recording means for recording as a file, mode switching means for switching between the normal resolution mode and the high resolution mode of the image input means,
A first recording control for controlling to record an image in the high resolution mode as a still image file when the mode switching means switches to the high resolution mode while recording the image in the normal resolution mode as a moving image file. Means, a second recording control means for controlling the recording of the two image recording progresses as a history file, and a moving image file and a still image file recorded based on the history file are linked and reproduced and displayed. And a reproduction display control means for controlling as described above.

[0007]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an image recording / reproducing system according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, 1 is a CPU (central processing unit) that controls the entire system according to a program, and 2 is a BIO.
ROM (read-only memory) storing S (basic input / output system) and the like, 3 RAM (read / write memory) storing programs and data, 4 timer for time monitoring, 5 hard disk etc. Auxiliary storage,
6 is a keyboard for inputting information, 7 is VGA (V
a video display unit such as a video graphics array, 8 is a monitor for displaying the video signal from the video display unit 7, 9 is a camera unit having a pixel shifting mechanism, 10
Is a video processing unit that processes video data and control data from the camera unit 9, and 11 is a bus to which commands and data are transferred.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the structure of the camera section 9. In the figure, 91 is a control unit that controls the entire camera unit 9 by sending and receiving control commands to and from the video processing unit 10, and 92 is a plurality of sheets having a zoom mechanism that performs a zoom operation under the control of the control unit 91. Lens unit composed of the above lens, 93 is an optical axis displacement unit that displaces the incident optical axis by a specific amount under the control of the control unit 91, 94 is a CCD that converts the incident light into an electric signal (analog video signal), and 95 is a CC
This is a signal processing unit that performs adjustment processing such as gain of the analog video signal output from D94 and outputs the processed analog video signal to the video processing unit 10.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the video processing unit 10 in which the video processing unit 10 transmits and receives control commands to and from the CPU 1 of FIG.
A control unit that controls the whole, 102 is a signal conversion unit that converts an analog video signal from the camera unit 9 into digital video data, 103 is a frame memory that stores digital video data, and 104 is a signal conversion unit under the control of the control unit 101. l
02 is stored in a specific address of the frame memory 103, and a memory control unit is controlled to read out the video data stored in a specific address of the frame memory 103, and 105 is controlled by the control unit 101. This is a format conversion unit that converts the video data read from the frame memory 103 into a specified format such as RGB (Red, Green, Blue) signal format or YUV (luminance / color difference) signal format and outputs it to the bus ll.

The control unit 101 of the video processing unit 10 is a CPU
The video processing unit 10 by interpreting the control command received from
The control data for the camera unit 9 is generated and transmitted while controlling the respective units. In addition, the control unit 10l interprets the control data received from the camera unit 9 to interpret the control data, and the video processing unit 10
It controls each part of the above, and converts the control command to the CPU 1 to transmit it. Further, when the control unit 101 receives an image capture command from the CPU 1, it outputs 1 in a predetermined mode.
Images for one sheet are stored in the frame memory 103 and the CPU 1
In response to this, an image capture completion command for notifying that is transmitted.

Next, the operation of the image recording / reproducing system according to the embodiment having the above-described structure in the normal resolution mode and the high resolution mode will be described.

In the normal resolution mode, the optical axis displacing unit 93 performs a predetermined process on a video signal picked up without displacing the optical axis of the incident light incident on the CCD 94 and stores it in the frame memory 103 to store the normal resolution. Generate an image. In the high resolution mode, the optical axis displacing unit 93 performs predetermined processing on each image signal obtained by displacing the optical axis of the incident light incident on the CCD 94 by a specific amount, and stores the image signal in the frame memory 103 to synthesize the image signals. To generate a high resolution image. For example, in the optical axis displacement section 93, C
The frame memory 1 which performs a predetermined process on the image signal of the incident light incident on the CD 94 without shifting the pixels
The image signal stored in the first area 03 of the frame memory 103 is shifted to the right in the horizontal direction by 1/2 pixel, and the image signal is subjected to predetermined processing and stored in the second area of the frame memory 103. Predetermined processing is performed on the video signal captured by shifting by 1/2 pixel, and is recorded in the third area of the frame memory 103, and predetermined processing is performed on the video signal captured by shifting by 1/2 pixel in the vertical direction. By performing processing and storing in the fourth area of the frame memory 103, and then combining the images of the first to fourth areas of the frame memory 103 as one image,
It is possible to obtain an image with twice the resolution as in the normal resolution mode.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the configuration of an image recording window 400 displayed on the monitor 8 for the user to perform an image recording operation in the image recording / reproducing system according to the embodiment. In the figure, 40l is a window in which an input image is displayed, 402 is a recording (recording) start button for instructing recording (recording) start, and 403 is recording (recording) stop for instructing recording (recording) end. A button 404 is a still image button for instructing to capture a still image in the high resolution mode.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the structure of an image reproduction window 500 displayed on the monitor 8 for the user to perform an image reproduction display operation in the image recording / reproduction system according to the embodiment. In the figure, 501 is a window in which a reproduced image is displayed, 502 is a reproduction start button for instructing reproduction start, 503 is a reproduction stop button for instructing reproduction end, and 504 is a still image recorded. Is a still image recording mark, and a still image reproduction button for instructing to display a still image. The still image reproduction button 504 is not normally displayed, but is displayed when a moving image is being reproduced and a still image is recorded.

FIG. 6 is a RAM for recording image recording history in the image recording / reproducing system according to the embodiment.
3 is a diagram showing a configuration of a history file stored in the storage device 3 or the auxiliary storage device 5. FIG. In the figure, 610 is moving image data, which stores information of one frame of moving image data or one piece of still image data, an image type field 611 indicating an image type of moving image or still image, and a recording start time. From the frame number field 612 indicating the number of the image, and the file position field 613 indicating the position in the moving image file or the still image file.
Consists of The history file has fields 611 to 61
A set of 3 is set to 620 and 630, which is moving image data having fields 611 to 613 as one set, like the moving image data 610.

Next, in the image recording / reproducing system according to the embodiment, the image recording window 400 is generated by pressing a button in the image recording window 400 of FIG.
The processing operation of the button press event notified from will be described with reference to FIG.

FIG. 7 is a flow chart showing a control procedure of a processing operation of a button pressing event generated by a button pressing operation in the image recording window 400 and notified from the image recording window 400 in the image recording / reproducing system according to the embodiment. is there. In the figure, first, in step S701, a button press event is recorded (recorded).
Whether or not it is the start button 402 is determined. If it is the recording start button 402, the process proceeds to step S702, and if not, the process proceeds to step S704. In step S702, a normal resolution command is transmitted to the video processing unit 10 in order to record an image in the normal resolution mode. Next, in step S703, an image capture start command is transmitted to the image processing unit 10 to start image recording, and then this processing operation is terminated.

In step S704, it is determined whether or not the button pressing event is the recording (recording) stop button 403, and if it is the recording stop button 403, step S704.
If not, the process proceeds to S706. In step S705, an image capture stop command for stopping image recording is transmitted to the video processing unit 10, and then this processing operation ends. In step S706, it is determined whether or not the button pressing event is the still image button 404. If the button is the still image button 404, the process proceeds to step S707, and if not, this processing operation is ended.

In step S707, a high resolution command is issued to the image processing unit 10 in order to record an image in the high resolution mode.
Send to Next, in step S708, an image capture start command is transmitted to the image processing unit 10 to start image recording, and then this processing operation ends.

Next, the processing operation of the image capture completion command from the video section 10 in the image recording / reproducing system according to the embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the control procedure of the processing operation of the image capture completion command from the video section 10 in the image recording / reproducing system according to the embodiment.
In the figure, first, in step 80l, it is determined whether the mode is the normal resolution mode or the high resolution mode by the parameter associated with the received image capture completion command. Then, in the normal resolution mode, step S8
02, in the high resolution mode, the process proceeds to step S805.

At step 802, the image data is read from the video processing unit 10 into the work area on the RAM 3. Next, in step 803, moving image data information regarding the read image data is recorded in a moving image file. Next step 8
At 04, after the read image data is recorded in the moving image file, this processing operation is ended.

In step 805, the video processing unit 1
The image data is read from 0 to the work area on the RAM 3.
Next, in step 806, the still image recording information is recorded in the history file. Next, in step 807, the read image data is recorded in the still image file. Then step 808
Then, the image capture stop command is transmitted to the video processing unit 10, and the image capture in the high resolution mode is stopped. Next, in step 809, a normal resolution command is transmitted to the video processing unit 10 in order to continue recording in the normal resolution mode. Next, in step 810, in order to restart recording in the normal resolution mode, an image capture start command is transmitted to the video processing unit 10, and then this processing operation ends.

Next, in the image recording / reproducing system according to the embodiment, the image is generated by pressing a button on the image reproducing window 500 of FIG.
The processing operation of the button press event notified from 00 will be described with reference to FIG.

FIG. 9 is generated by pressing a button on the image reproduction window 500 in the image recording / reproduction system according to the embodiment and this image reproduction window 500.
6 is a flow chart showing a control procedure of a processing operation of a button pressing event notified from. In the figure, first,
In step S901, it is determined whether the button pressing event is the reproduction start button 502, and the reproduction start button 5
If it is 02, the process proceeds to step S902, and if not, the process proceeds to step S903. In step S902, a moving image reproduction process is started to reproduce and display the moving image recorded in the moving image file, and then this processing operation is ended.

In step S903, it is determined whether the button press event is the reproduction stop button 503,
If it is the reproduction stop button 503, step S904.
If not, proceed to step S905. In step S904, the moving image reproduction process is stopped to stop the moving image reproduction display, and then this processing operation is ended.

In step S905, it is determined whether or not the button pressing event is the still image button 504. If the button is the still image button 504, the process proceeds to step S906, and if not, this processing operation is terminated. In step S906, the moving image reproduction process is stopped to stop the moving image reproduction display. Next, in step S907, a still image reproduction process is started to reproduce and display the still image recorded in the still image file, and then this processing operation is ended.

Next, the operation of the moving image reproducing process in the image recording / reproducing system according to the embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing the control procedure of the moving image reproduction processing operation in the image recording / reproducing system according to the embodiment. In the figure, first, step S1
At 00l, the history information for one frame is read from the history file. Next, in step S1002, it is determined whether or not the image type of the read history information is a moving image. If the image type is a moving image, the process proceeds to step S1003, and if not, the process proceeds to step S1006.

In step S1003, image data is read from the moving image file based on the file position of the history information. Next, in step S1004, the read image data is displayed in the image reproduction window 501. Next, in step S1005, it is determined whether the history file is at the end,
If it is the end of the file, this processing operation is terminated, and if not, the process returns to step S100l.

In step S1006, it is determined whether or not the image type of the history information is a still image. If it is a still image, the process proceeds to step S1007, and if not, the process proceeds to step S1005.

In step S1007, the read history information is saved in the work area of the RAM 3. Next, step S
At 1008, the still image button 504 is displayed on the image reproduction window 500. Next, in step S1009, a timer for the display period of the still image button 504 is started.

Next, a timer event processing operation in the image recording / reproducing system according to the embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

FIG. 11 is a flow chart showing the control procedure of the timer event processing operation in the image recording / reproducing system according to the embodiment. In the figure, step Sl
Image playback window 5
After deleting the still image button 504 displayed at 00, this processing operation is ended.

Next, a still image display processing operation in the image recording / reproducing system according to the embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

FIG. 12 is a flow chart showing a control procedure of still image display processing operation in the image recording / reproducing system according to the embodiment. In the figure, step Sl2
At 0l, the corresponding still image is read from the still image file based on the file position of the history information stored in the RAM 3. Next, in step 1202, the read still image data is displayed, and then this processing operation is ended.

As described above, a high-resolution still image in the high-resolution mode can be recorded at any time when the moving image in the normal-resolution mode is recorded, and the history of image recording is recorded in the history file, so that the history can be recorded during reproduction. When a moving image file is played back based on the file, and when the still image is recorded, the still image button indicating the recording of the still image is displayed for a certain period of time, and the user wants to see the recorded still image. In that case, it is possible to construct an image recording / reproducing system in which the moving image reproduction is temporarily stopped and a still image is displayed.

In the above embodiment, the timing of recording the still image in the high resolution mode is exemplified by the user operation, but the timing is not limited to this, and any external trigger may be used. For example, a still image in the high resolution mode can be automatically recorded at regular intervals using a timer.

Further, in the above embodiment, the moving image file is reproduced and displayed based on the history file, and the fact that there is still image recording is displayed during the reproduction display. However, the present invention is not limited to this. It is also possible to reproduce and display a still image file based on this, and reproduce and display a moving image near the recorded still image file.

[0040]

As described above in detail, according to the image recording / reproducing system of the present invention, while recording the moving image in the normal resolution mode, it is possible to record the still image in the high resolution mode at any time and By recording the history of switching between the resolution mode and the high resolution mode, when the recorded image file is played back and displayed, the history file is referenced to link the playback display of the moving image and the playback display of the still image. Since it is possible to reproduce and display various forms, it is possible to easily record a high-resolution still image at any time during recording of a normal-resolution image, and at which time the high-resolution image is displayed. It is easy to see whether or not is recorded, and the operability is good.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an image recording / reproducing system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a camera unit in the image recording / reproducing system according to the same embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a video processing unit in the image recording / reproducing system according to the same embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a configuration of an image recording window in the image recording / reproducing system according to the same embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a configuration of an image reproduction window in the image recording / reproduction system according to the same embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a format of a moving image file in the image recording / reproducing system according to the same embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a control procedure of a processing operation of a button pressing event generated by a button pressing operation in the image recording window and notified from the image recording window in the image recording / reproducing system according to the same embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a control procedure of a processing operation of an image capture completion command from a video section in the image recording / reproducing system according to the same embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a control procedure of a processing operation of a button pressing event generated by a button pressing operation in the image reproducing window and notified from the image reproducing window in the image recording / reproducing system according to the same embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing a control procedure of a moving image reproduction processing operation in the image recording / reproducing system according to the same embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing a control procedure of a timer event processing operation in the image recording / reproducing system according to the same embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing a control procedure of a still image display processing operation in the image recording / reproducing system according to the same embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 CPU (mode switching means, first and second recording control means, reproduction display control means) 2 ROM 3 RAM (recording means) 4 timer 5 keyboard 6 auxiliary storage device (recording means) 7 video display section 8 monitor 9 camera Section (image input means) 10 video processing section 11 bus

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An image input unit having a normal resolution mode and a high resolution mode, and a recording unit for recording an input image input by the image input unit as an image file.
Mode switching means for switching between the normal resolution mode and the high resolution mode of the image input means, and a high resolution when the mode switching means switches to the high resolution mode while recording an image in the normal resolution mode as a moving image file. First recording control means for controlling to record an image in the resolution mode as a still image file, second recording control means for controlling to record the two image recording progresses as a history file, and the history file An image recording / reproducing system comprising: a reproduction / display control unit that controls reproduction and display by linking a moving image file and a still image file recorded based on the above.