JPH10145711A - Electronic still camera - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To easily reproduce the retrieval information by using a 1st recording means which records the image data and a 2nd recording means which records a retrieving image and recording the header information on the retrieving image to the 2nd recording means. SOLUTION: A comment table uses 256 bytes and stores the ASCII codes corresponding to the character codes, etc., and '00' is inserted to each unused byte. A name table included in an information table area uses 16 bytes and stores the ASCII codes corresponding to the character codes, etc. The retrieving images are displayed in a list. When a certain retrieving image is selected, the image is shown in an information display area in response to each table information stored in the information table area corresponding to the selected retrieving image. Then nothing is shown in an information display area if the retrieved image is not contained in the information table corresponding to the selected retrieving image. Thus, the processing complication is prevented in a recording mode.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to an electronic still camera capable of describing image data of a photographed subject image on a recording medium and reproducing the image data.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional electronic still camera, when describing image data of a subject image, an image which is thinned out in a horizontal and vertical direction with respect to a regular resolution is used for search in order to increase search efficiency during reproduction. The image is created and recorded together.

At the time of image reproduction, a list of images to be searched is displayed, and a desired image is selected and displayed.

[0004]

However, in recent years, electronic still camera devices have been reduced in size and weight, and when the search images are displayed in a list on a display device attached to the device, the resolution is too low to correctly recognize the images. There is a problem that can not be.

Although a method of managing search information for a search image in another management area has also been proposed, there is a problem in that processing for recording and reproducing the search information becomes complicated. is there.

An object of the present invention is to provide an electronic still camera capable of reproducing with high search efficiency when searching from a search image.

[0007]

An electronic still camera according to claim 1, wherein first recording means for photographing a subject and recording image data, and second recording means for creating and recording a search image. And image display means for displaying an image for search, and when the image for search is recorded, information for search is recorded in the second recording means as header information of the image for search. Electronic still camera.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided the electronic still camera according to the first aspect, wherein the header information is displayed together with the search image when displaying the search image. .

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the electronic still camera according to the first aspect, the header information includes time information when a search image is recorded.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the electronic still camera according to the first aspect, the header information includes comment information for representing a search image.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the electronic still camera according to the first aspect, the header information includes name information for representing a search image.

[0012]

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

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a digital electronic still camera according to an embodiment of the present invention. The image data is output by photoelectric conversion based on the image.

The output image data is gain-controlled by the process processing circuit 3 and converted into digital image data by the A / D converter 4.

The digital image data is subjected to gamma correction and aperture correction by a digital signal processing circuit 5 and sent to an image data encoding means and an image data compression / decompression circuit 6 as an image encoding means to be encoded. .

The encoded image data is MD (Min)
i Disk (abbreviated as i), an I / F (interface) 7, and are sequentially recorded on the MD 8 as a recording medium by a known data writing / reading unit (not shown).

The above components are controlled by the CPU 10.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 14 denotes a lens driver for controlling the aperture of the image pickup lens 1 and the amount of feeding, etc., 9 a signal generator for transmitting a timing signal to the CCD 2 and the process processor 3, and 11 Denotes a strobe as object illumination means, 12 denotes a display unit for displaying various mode settings and reproduced images, and 13 denotes an operation unit for performing various inputs and settings.

When reproducing the data recorded on the MD8, the image data is read out from the MD8 and the MDI / F
7 and is sent to the CPU 10. The image data is expanded (decoded) by the image data compression / expansion circuit 6.
Then, it is displayed on the display unit 12 through the digital signal processing circuit 5.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an internal detailed area of a search image recorded on the MD8. One search image includes a format table area, an information table area, a compressed image data area, and a blank area.

A plurality of search images are recorded as one file, and each fixed image size (4 in the embodiment of FIG. 2).
096 bytes).

The format table area is a table for storing comprehensive information of one search image.

The information table area is an information table area for identifying a search image.

The compressed image data area is an area for storing a compressed search image.

The blank area is an offset area for making one search image area a fixed length because a compressed image data size is variable, and a dummy code is inserted in the blank area.

Hereinafter, each table area will be described with reference to an explanatory diagram.

FIG. 3 is a detailed explanatory diagram of the format table area. The format table uses 7 bytes.

The data size is an area for storing the number of bytes of search image data.

The time information valid flag is an area for storing a flag for indicating whether or not a time information table (the time information table will be described later) in the information table area is valid.

The comment valid flag is an area for storing a flag for indicating whether or not a comment table in the information table area (the comment table will be described later) is valid.

The name valid flag is an area for storing a flag for indicating whether or not a name table (name table will be described later) in the information table area is valid.

The above three flags are 1 when they are valid.
Is stored, and when invalid, 0 is stored.

Each flag is set to 1 when the table data is created, and is set to 0 when the table data is deleted.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of the time information table stored in the information table area. The time information table uses 7 bytes, the first two bytes are the year of the year, the next byte is the month, the next byte is the day, the next byte is the hour, the next byte XX minutes in the next byte, XX in the next byte
Stores seconds.

In the example of FIG. 4, 16 July 19, 1996
Hour: 26: 25 is stored.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of a comment table stored in the information table area. ASC that uses 256 bytes for the comment table and supports character codes
An II code or the like is stored.

00 is inserted in unused bytes.

In the example shown in FIG. 5, "This is my
The comment “favorite picture” is stored.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of the name table stored in the information table area.

The name table uses 16 bytes and stores ASCII codes and the like corresponding to character codes.

00 is inserted in unused bytes.

In the example shown in FIG. 6, the name "Sample" is stored.

Next, a case where a list of search images is displayed will be described.

FIG. 7 is a view showing a list of search images.

As shown in FIG. 7, a list of search images is displayed. When a certain search image is selected, each table information in the information table area corresponding to the selected search image is displayed together in the information display area.

If there is no information table corresponding to the selected search image, nothing is displayed in the information display area.

[0047]

According to the electronic still camera of the first aspect, by recording the search information as the header information of the search image, the processing at the time of recording can be prevented from becoming complicated. Also, at the time of reproduction, it is possible to easily reproduce the search information corresponding to the search image.

In the electronic still camera according to the second aspect, erroneous recognition at the time of retrieval can be prevented by displaying the retrieval information together with the reproduction of the retrieval image, and the retrieval efficiency can be improved.

By displaying the search information together, the resolution of the search image can be made relatively low and the data size of the search image can be reduced, so that the recording medium can be used efficiently.

In the electronic still camera according to the third aspect, by recording time information as search information, it is possible to easily search by date and time.

In the electronic still camera according to the fourth aspect, by recording comment information as search information, it is possible to easily perform a search based on the content of the search image and the like.

In the electronic still camera according to the fifth aspect, the name information is recorded as the search information, so that the search by the representative name of the search image can be easily performed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block circuit diagram schematically showing an overall configuration of an electronic still camera according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of a layout when a search image is stored.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram in a format table area.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram in a time information table area.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram in a comment table area.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram in a name table area.

FIG. 7 is a display example when a list of search images is displayed.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 lens 2 CCD 3 process processing circuit 4 A / D converter 5 digital signal processing circuit 6 image data compression / expansion circuit 7 MDI / F 8 MD 9 signal generation unit 10 CPU 11 strobe 12 display unit 13 operation unit 14 lens driver

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Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A first recording means for photographing a subject and recording image data, and a second recording means for creating and recording a search image.
Recording means, and image display means for displaying a search image, and when the search image is recorded, the search information is recorded in the second recording means as header information of the search image. An electronic still camera characterized by the following. 2. The electronic still camera according to claim 1, wherein the header information is displayed together with the search image when displaying the search image. 3. The electronic still camera according to claim 1, wherein the header information includes time information when describing a search image. 4. The electronic still camera according to claim 1, wherein the header information includes comment information for representing a search image. 5. The electronic still camera according to claim 1, wherein the header information includes name information for representing a search image.