JPH0965274A - Memory card type electronic still camera - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide general-purpose performance for data reception by connecting directly a camera having each of image pickup means, process processing means, signal processing means and storage means and a connector to an external control device so as to conduct transmission and reception thereby making the device small. SOLUTION: A luminous flux from an object passes through a lens 1 and an iris 2 and an image is formed on a CCD 3. An output from the CCD 3 in response to an image is processed analogically by a CDS 4 and an AGC 5 and quantized through a converter 6. The quantized video signal is stored in a memory 8 by a controller 15. The signal is digitally calculated by a DSP 9 and stored again in the memory 8. R, G, B signals or compressed signal data are stored on a medium 16 via the controller 15 and a memory IF 50. In the case of sending information of the medium 16 to the device 13, the camera 17 is connected to the device 13 through the memory IF 50, the controller 15, and an interface 10 to conduct data transmission reception in 2-way.

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 capable of electronically recording a subject image, and is particularly detachable to an external control device, and further has a recording medium detachable. Memory card type electronic still camera.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there is known a so-called electronic still camera product in which a subject image is picked up by a solid-state image pickup device and an image pickup signal is recorded as video information in a storage medium. The electronic still camera has been miniaturized by digitizing the internal signal processing using the memory card.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of an electronic still camera using a conventional memory card as a storage medium. A light beam from a subject (not shown) passes through a lens 1 and an iris 2 and forms an image on a solid-state image sensor CCD 3. CCD according to the subject image
Video signal output from 3 is correlated double sampling CDS
4, analog processing is performed by the AGC 5, and quantized through the A / D converter 6. The quantized CCD output video signal is temporarily transferred to the direct memory access controller 7
Is stored in the buffer memory 8. Stored C
The video signal of the CD output is digitally operated by the DSP 9, and R, which is a general-purpose image file format required for recording,
The data is converted into G and B signal format data and stored again in the buffer memory 8. The data of the general-purpose image file formats R, G, B are the card interface circuit 1
It is supplied to the card slot 11 through 0 and recorded in the memory card 12. The memory card 12 is directly attached to the external control device 13 and transfers necessary information.

The operation of the electronic still camera using a memory card as a storage medium has been described above. On the other hand, a non-detachable built-in memory type electronic still camera has been commercialized in order to make it a smaller electronic still camera. There is. Figure 7
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a built-in memory type electronic still camera. A light flux from a subject (not shown) is a lens 1 and an iris 2
An image is formed on the solid-state image pickup device CCD 3 through. The video signal output from the CCD 3 according to the subject image is analog-processed by the correlated double sampling CDS 4 and AGC 5, and A / D
It is quantized through the converter 6. The quantized CCD output video signal is temporarily stored in the buffer memory 8 by the memory controller 15. Stored CCD
The output video signal is digitally operated by the DSP 9,
General-purpose image file formats R, G, which are necessary for recording
It is converted into a B signal or a compressed image signal and stored again in the buffer memory 8. General-purpose image file format R,
The data of the G, B signals or the compressed signal is stored in the common memory 16 through the memory controller 15.
When the video information on the common memory 16 is delivered to the external control device 13, it is delivered to the external control device 13 through the connection cable 18 through the memory controller 15 and the communication interface 14.

The electronic still camera using the memory card shown in FIG. 6 as a storage medium has a size larger than that of the storage medium, and in view of miniaturization, the built-in memory electronic still camera shown in FIG. The camera was more advantageous. However, in the case of the built-in memory type electronic still camera,
There is a problem in that it has to be connected to an external control device by wire, is not versatile due to restrictions on the communication protocol, and has a storage medium built-in, which limits the number of images that can be taken.

Further, FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing a conventional power supply mode at the time of photographing. In the standard of a memory card generally used in a personal computer or the like, an operation power supply input VCC23 and a program power supply are used as power supply input terminals. Input V
Three inputs of PP1 24 and VPP2 25 are specified,
It is used properly according to the type of memory of the built-in storage means. Further, at the time of photographing, the power source of the positive power source VDD1 26 and the negative power source VDD2 27 for driving the CCD 3 is required. When a single battery is considered as the power supply unit 28, as shown in the figure, the battery voltage is directly input to the memory card type SVC 17, and the DC provided in the memory card is used.
The DC converter 29 provides a stable supply of necessary power and is not suitable for downsizing.

[0007]

As described above, if the storage medium itself of the electronic still camera is to be constructed as a versatile one, the miniaturization of the camera is restricted, and the miniaturization should be prioritized. Then, the problem that the versatility with respect to the external control device is limited and the number of images to be shot is limited, the present invention aims at downsizing of the camera, and is versatile when exchanging data with the external control device. A low-cost storage medium and an electronic still camera that have no limitation on the number of images to be taken.

[0008]

Means for Solving the Problems A memory card as a storage medium that can be attached to and detached from a personal computer or the like, which is a typical external control device, has a slot together with LAN cards such as a personal computer and various interface cards such as a SCSI card. Since the interface card can be commonly used and various functions can be considered, the physical size of the card tends to be gradually standardized. Furthermore, the thickness is 10.5 mm for TYPE ■ and expanded to 16 mm for TYPE ■, which is large enough to store the shooting mechanism, and the shooting mechanism is set to the size of a memory card as a general-purpose storage medium. The present invention is realized as a memory card type electronic still camera in which a built-in storage medium can be replaced.

Accordingly, the present invention provides an image pickup means for optically picking up a subject image to generate an image pickup signal, a video process processing means for converting the image pickup signal into digital data and performing a process process, and an image process process means obtained by the process process. Recording signal processing means for converting the obtained video signal into a signal form necessary for recording as video information; storage means detachably arranged for recording and holding video information for a plurality of sheets;
A memory card type having a connector for transmitting and receiving data between an external control device and the storage means, and transmitting and receiving data while being directly attached to the external control device with the storage means attached Provide an electronic still camera.

The present invention further provides a memory card type electronic still camera in which the memory means is attached / detached while the memory card type electronic still camera is attached to the external control device.

Further, the present invention has a power supply means for photographing which is detachably attached to the connector of the memory card type electronic still camera, and the power supply means is a memory composed of a battery and a stabilized power supply circuit. Provided is a card type electronic still camera, and a memory card type electronic still camera in which the power supply means has a plurality of power source outputs.

[0012]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a memory card type electronic still camera 17 proposed as an embodiment of the present invention. The operation will be described based on this figure. A light flux from a subject (not shown) passes through the lens 1 and the iris 2 and forms an image on the solid-state image sensor CCD3. CCD according to the subject image
Video signal output from 3 is correlated double sampling CDS
4, the analog processing of the AGC 5 is performed, and it is quantized through the A / D converter 6. The quantized CCD output video signal is temporarily stored in the buffer memory 8 by the memory controller 15. The stored video signal of the CCD output is digitally operated by the DSP 9, converted into R, G, B signals of a general-purpose image file format handled by an external control device, or a compressed image signal, and stored again in the buffer memory 8. General-purpose image file formats R, G,
The data of the B signal or the compressed signal is stored in the storage medium 16 through the memory controller 15 and the memory IF 50. When transferring the video information of the storage medium 16 to the external control device 13, the memory IF 50 and the memory controller 1
5. Through the card interface 10, the main body of the memory card type electronic still camera 17 and the external control device 1
It is attached to 3 and data is exchanged bidirectionally. Here, the storage medium 16 is detachably attached to the main body of the memory card type electronic still camera 17 by the connector of the memory IF 50.

FIG. 2 shows a file management format described on the storage medium, which is usually described by the DOS FAT file system. Data area image data 164
Is a general-purpose image file format TIFF
R, G, B point sequential format, etc., or a general-purpose compression format such as JPEG compression. When the external control device 13 reads / writes data in the memory card type electronic still camera 17, the external control device 13 first writes the data in the storage medium 16 described in the attribute memory 21 in the memory card type electronic still camera 17. Attribute information such as type, capacity, read speed, write speed, etc. is read and communication control according to the storage medium 16 is performed. Next, the directory information 163 on the storage medium 16
Then, the area in which the desired image information is described is determined from the FAT162 information, and read / write control is performed. With the above operation, the data of the memory card type electronic still camera 17 can be exchanged with the external control device 13.

FIG. 3 is a schematic view of a state in which the memory card type electronic still camera can take a picture. Collapsible lens 1
Is protruding from the outer shape of the memory card in the open state,
It cannot be attached to the external control device when the camera is ready for shooting. The power supply 19 for photographing is the card interface 10
It is attached to the contact for connection, and likewise cannot be attached to the external control device when the power supply for shooting is attached. Further, the storage medium 16 has a removable structure and is stored between the taking lens 1 and the finder 51. In this case, since the memory IF 50 is arranged on the surface different from the card interface 10, the storage medium 16 can be attached and detached even when the memory card type electronic still camera 17 is attached to the external control device. .

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram when the memory card type electronic still camera functions as a memory card which is a general-purpose storage medium of an external control device. The power source 19 for photographing shown in FIG. 3 is removed from the memory card, and the lens 1 for photographing is housed in the memory card and the lens barrier 20.
Protected by The storage medium 16 not shown in FIG.
Similarly, it is stored under the finder 51. In this state, the photographing function and the function as the memory card are incorporated so that the physical shape is the same as the shape of the general-purpose card mounted on the external control device.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a memory card with a shooting / playback function according to another embodiment of the present invention. By the reproduction instruction means (not shown), the video information in the storage medium 16 is NTSC encoded by the DSP 9, and D / A
The converter 22 converts it into an analog signal and outputs a video signal.

FIG. 8 shows another embodiment of the present invention and is a block diagram showing a power supply mode at the time of photographing. A battery and a DC-DC converter 29 are provided inside the power supply means 28.
It has a built-in power supply necessary for shooting, recording, and reproducing, and has the above-mentioned VCC23, VPP124, VPP225, VD
It is generated as D1 26 and VDD2 27. The generated plurality of power supplies are supplied to the memory card type electronic still camera through the card IF 10. As a result, the memory card type electronic still camera 17 does not require a DC-DC converter, and the size can be reduced. A power supply system necessary for shooting and reproducing VDD1, VDD2, etc., which is not in the standard of the memory card, can be realized by using an empty pin of the card IF, but as shown in FIG. It is desirable that the memory card type electronic still camera 17 be used in common with the pins of the above (4) and complies with the standard of a general memory card.

In FIG. 10, a SW 30 for detecting the mounting of the power supply means 28 is provided, and the CPU 33 detects the mounting. When the CPU 33 detects that the power supply means is attached, the CPU 33 selects the VDD1 26 and VDD2 27 lines in the memory card 17 and connects them to the card IF connector pins.
PU33 controls SW31 and SW32. Further, when connected to an external control device, SW31, SW32
Are address lines A for memory card connectors
24, A25 pin is selected and connected to the card IF connector pin.

[0019]

According to the structure of the present invention, a small-sized memory card with a photographing function that can be directly mounted on an external control device can be realized, and a removable storage medium can be composed of a single storage element, so that It can be supplied as an expensive storage medium

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a memory card type electronic still camera according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a memory management diagram used in the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a photographing function state of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic view of a memory card state of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a memory card with recording / playback function according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a memory card-mounted electronic still camera of Conventional Example 1.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram of an electronic still camera with a built-in memory according to Conventional Example 2.

FIG. 8 is a configuration diagram of a power supply form from a power supply means which is another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a configuration diagram of a power supply mode of a conventional memory card type electronic still camera.

FIG. 10 is a configuration diagram of a power supply system interface that is an embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Shooting Lens 2 Aperture Mechanism 3 CCD 4 CDS 5 AGC 6 A / D 7 DMAC 8 Buffer Memory 9 DSP 10 Card Interface 15 Memory Controller 16 Storage Medium 17 Memory Card Electronic Still Camera 19 Shooting Power Supply 20 Lens Barrier 28 Shooting Power supply means 29 DC-DC converter 33 CPU

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An image pickup means for optically picking up a subject image to generate an image pickup signal, a video process processing means for converting the image pickup signal into digital data and performing a process process, and a video image obtained by the process process. Recording signal processing means for converting a signal into a signal form necessary for recording as video information, storage means detachably arranged for recording and holding a plurality of pieces of video information, an external control device, and A memory card type having a connector for transmitting and receiving data to and from a storage means, and transmitting and receiving data in a state where the storage means is attached and is directly attached to an external control device. Electronic still camera. 2. The memory card type electronic still camera,
2. The memory card type electronic still camera according to claim 1, wherein the storage means is attached and detached while being attached to the external control device.