JPH10164426A - Electronic camera - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To keep an upper and a lower side of an image to be displayed constant at all times, while surely being adaptive to a change in a posture of a display image by keeping an upper and a lower side of a picked-up image to be recorded constant at all times, while being surely adaptive to a change in a posture of an image-pickup face in the electronic camera that picks up an image of an object for generating a dynamic image or a still image and provide with a monitoring purpose display screen. SOLUTION: A camera is provided with an image-pickup means 10 that picks up an image of an object for generating an image, an image-pickup posture detecting means 12 that detects a direction of rotation and an angle of a posture decided in advance by the image-pickup means 10 around a rotary axis, together with the image-pickup optical axis of the image-pickup means 10, a recording image conversion means 14 that generates a recording image by rotating the image according to the direction and the angle detected by the image-pickup posture detection means 12 and a recording means 16 that records the recording image generated by the recording image conversion means 14.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electronic camera for capturing a subject and generating a moving image or a still image and an electronic camera having a display screen for a monitor.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, with the diversification of needs of photographers of electronic cameras, electronic cameras having a monitor display unit in a part of a housing have been put into practical use.

Some of such electronic cameras are provided with a mechanism that can rotate an image pickup unit about a rotation axis along a horizontal axis on an image pickup surface, and the photographer matches the image pickup surface with a display screen. Face-to-face photography is performed. For example, FIG.
When the imaging unit is rotated by 180 degrees about the above-described rotation axis from the standard posture illustrated in FIG. 15A to the state illustrated in FIG. 15B, the image generated by the imaging unit is turned upside down. A mirror image is displayed on the display unit. Also, the image generated by the imaging unit is
The image is scanned and recorded in a direction opposite to the scanning performed in the standard posture.

When the entire electronic camera is rotated by 180 degrees about the rotation axis along the photographing optical axis as shown in FIG. 16 while face-to-face photographing is being performed, an image pickup unit shown in FIG. Indicates a state in which the imaging surface faces in the opposite direction to the standard posture shown in FIG. On the other hand, the posture of the display unit shown in FIG. 16B shows a state where the display unit is turned upside down from the standard posture shown in FIG.

[0005]

However, in the conventional electronic camera, it is not assumed that the attitude of the electronic camera is changed by rotating the entire electronic camera with the rotation axis along the photographing optical axis during face-to-face photographing. Even in the state shown in FIG.
Image display and recording are performed in the same manner as in the state shown in FIG. In other words, even if the imaging unit is in the standard posture, the generated image is recorded after being rotated by 180 degrees, so that the image monitored at the time of shooting does not match the reproduced image.

In the above-described electronic camera, the display unit can be rotated with the imaging unit fixed up and down. Therefore, even if the photographer mistakenly performs the procedure for face-to-face shooting and turns the display unit after turning the image-capturing face toward the subject, monitoring is not performed during shooting, as in the state shown in FIG. The reproduced image did not match the reproduced image.

Therefore, in order to record the top and bottom of a captured image in a desired direction, there is a problem that the operator must be familiar with the relationship between the attitude of the imaging unit and the top and bottom of the recorded image. Was. Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an electronic camera that always keeps the upper and lower sides of an image to be recorded consistently with a change in the attitude of the imaging surface. 5 to Claim 7
An object of the invention described in (1) is to provide an electronic camera that always keeps the upper and lower sides of an image to be displayed constantly in a manner that is surely adapted to changes in the attitude of the display screen.

[0008]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the principle of the first aspect of the present invention. 2. An electronic camera according to claim 1, wherein the electronic camera captures an image of a subject to generate an image.
0, an imaging attitude detecting means 1 for detecting a direction and an angle of rotation of the imaging means 10 with respect to a predetermined attitude about a rotation axis along the imaging optical axis of the imaging means 10
2, a recording image conversion unit 14 that rotates the image in the direction and the angle detected by the imaging posture detection unit 12 to generate a recording image, and records the recording image generated by the recording image conversion unit 14. Recording means 16.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the principle of the invention according to claims 2 and 3. The electronic camera according to claim 2 is the electronic camera according to claim 1, wherein the imaging unit 10 has a predetermined attitude around a rotation axis along a horizontal axis on an imaging surface of the imaging unit 10. An image-capturing direction detecting means 18 for detecting an angle rotated with respect to the recording medium;
If the angle detected by the above exceeds a predetermined limit value, the recording image is generated by performing the rotation and the vertical inversion on the image.

The electronic camera according to the third aspect is the second aspect of the invention.
3. The electronic camera according to claim 1, wherein
No. 4 is characterized in that the recorded image is generated by inverting the image horizontally in addition to the vertical inversion of the image.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the principle of the present invention. The electronic camera according to claim 4, wherein the electronic camera according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the display unit (20) displays a recorded image generated by the recorded image conversion unit (14) as a display image. It is characterized by having.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the principle of the present invention. The electronic camera according to claim 5, wherein the image capturing unit 30 captures an image of a subject to generate an image, a recording unit 32 that records an image generated by the image capturing unit 30 as a recording image, and records the image by the recording unit 32. Display image converting means 3 for generating a display image from a recorded image to be displayed
4, a display means 36 for displaying the display image generated by the display image conversion means 34, and the display means 36 are predetermined with the rotation axis along the orthogonal axis of the display screen of the display means 36 as the center. Display attitude detecting means 38 for detecting a direction and an angle rotated with respect to the attitude, and the display image converting means 34 converts the recorded image in the opposite direction at the angle detected by the display attitude detecting means 38. It is characterized in that a display image is generated by rotating.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the principle of the present invention. The electronic camera according to claim 6 is the electronic camera according to claim 6, further comprising an auxiliary image unit 40 that generates or captures an auxiliary image to be displayed on the display unit 36 as a part of the display image. The display image conversion means 34 is characterized in that the additional image is rotated in the opposite direction by the angle detected by the display attitude detection means 38 and added to the display image.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the principle of the present invention. An electronic camera according to a seventh aspect is the electronic camera according to the fourth or sixth aspect, further comprising a scroll unit that scrolls a display image that extends beyond a frame of a display screen of the display unit. And

(Function) In the electronic camera according to the first aspect of the present invention, the image pickup attitude detecting means 12 allows the image pick-up means 10 to rotate about a rotation axis along the image-taking optical axis with respect to a predetermined attitude. Detect the rotated direction and angle.
The recording image conversion unit 14 rotates the image generated by the imaging unit 10 in the direction and the angle detected by the imaging posture detection unit 12, and generates a recording image. The recording unit 16 records the recording image generated by the recording image conversion unit 14.

That is, when the image pickup means is rotated about a rotation axis along the photographing optical axis, the image generated by the image pickup means is vertically aligned with an image which can be generated in a predetermined posture. Recorded as matched. In the electronic camera according to the second aspect of the present invention, the imaging direction detection unit 18 is configured such that the imaging unit 10 is rotated about a rotation axis along a horizontal axis on the imaging surface with respect to a predetermined posture. Detect the angle. When the angle detected by the imaging direction detection means 18 exceeds a predetermined limit value, the recorded image conversion means 14 rotates the image generated by the imaging means 10 in the same manner as in claim 1, and turns the image upside down. To generate a recorded image.

That is, even if the image pickup means is turned upside down by being rotated about a rotation axis along the horizontal axis on the image pickup plane, the upper and lower sides of the recorded image are determined in advance. Is kept. In the electronic camera according to the third aspect of the present invention, the recorded image converting means 14 inverts the image generated by the imaging means 10 in the same manner as in the second aspect, and generates a recorded image by inverting the image horizontally.

That is, since the mirror image is corrected and recorded, even if the image pickup means is rotated around a rotation axis along the horizontal axis on the image pickup surface and turned upside down, the image pickup optical axis is An image similar to the case where the image is rotated upside down and rotated about the rotation axis along the axis is recorded.

Therefore, the image generated by the image pickup means is recorded in a direction which coincides with the image which can be generated in a predetermined posture, regardless of the rotation axis on which the image pickup means is rotated. In the electronic camera according to the fourth aspect of the invention, the display means 20 displays the recorded image generated by the recorded image conversion means 14 as a display image. Therefore, even in the case where the image capturing unit is changed in the posture and the photographing is being performed, if the posture of the display unit is in the same state as the posture during the reproduction, the image is displayed during the reproduction while monitoring the subject. It is possible to check the top and bottom of the image.

In the electronic camera according to the fifth aspect of the present invention, the recording means 32 records the image generated by the imaging means 30 as a recorded image. The display attitude detecting means 38 detects a direction and an angle at which the display means 36 is rotated about a rotation axis along an orthogonal axis of the display screen with respect to a predetermined attitude. The display image conversion means 34
The recorded image recorded by the recording means 32 is rotated in the opposite direction by the angle detected by the display attitude detecting means 38,
Generate a display image.

Therefore, even when the display means is rotated about the rotation axis along the orthogonal axis of the display screen, the image displayed on the display means can be displayed in a predetermined posture. The image is displayed with its top and bottom aligned. In the electronic camera according to the sixth aspect of the present invention, the additional image means 40 generates or captures an additional image to be displayed on the display means 36 as a part of the display image. The display image conversion means 34 adds the supplementary image to the display image by rotating in the reverse direction at the angle detected by the display attitude detection means 38.

That is, the display image displayed on the display means is not limited to the image generated by the image pickup means, but is displayed in a state where the image displayed upside down coincides with the image which can be displayed in a predetermined posture. In the electronic camera according to the seventh aspect of the present invention, the scroll unit scrolls a display image that extends beyond the frame of the display screen of the display unit.

That is, the display image generated by rotating the recorded image or the supplementary image is reliably displayed even if it is a portion that protrudes from the frame of the display screen due to the rotation.

[0023]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 7 shows a first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 8 is a functional block diagram of an embodiment corresponding to the invention described in FIGS. In the figure, a control unit 50 includes an operation instruction unit 53, an imaging unit 54, and an imaging posture detection unit 5 via a control bus 52.
6, recording frame memory 58, disk drive 6
0, the display unit 62, and the display frame memory 64.

The image pickup posture detecting section 56 has two mercury switches arranged along the image pickup surface, and detects the position of the image pickup section 54 by a detection method described later. The correspondence between the principle block diagrams shown in FIGS. 1, 3, and 6 and the functional block diagrams shown in FIG.
Corresponds to the imaging unit 54, the imaging posture detection unit 12 corresponds to the imaging posture detection unit 56, the recorded image conversion unit 14 corresponds to the frame memory 58 for recording, the recording unit 16 corresponds to the disk drive 60, The means 20 corresponds to the display unit 62, and the scroll means 42 corresponds to the function of controlling the scroll of the control unit 50 and the display frame memory 64.

FIG. 8 is an operation flowchart of an embodiment according to the first, fourth and seventh aspects of the present invention. Hereinafter, the operation of the embodiment according to the first, fourth and seventh aspects of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 7, 8 and 9.

The control unit 50 monitors the operation instructing unit 53 via the control bus 52, and when it is in the recording state, requests the image pickup unit 54 to generate an image signal (S1 in FIG. 8).
The detection of the attitude of the imaging unit 54 is requested to the imaging attitude detection unit 56 (S2 in FIG. 8). In the imaging unit 54, an optical image is formed and a signal charge is generated. In addition, the imaging unit 54 sequentially scans the signal images generated in this manner, and adds a horizontal synchronization signal and a vertical synchronization signal to generate a one-dimensional image signal. The image signal generated in this manner is supplied to the recording frame memory 58.

As shown in FIG. 9, two mercury switches are arranged in the imaging posture detecting section 56 at right angles to each other and at an angle of 45 degrees with respect to the horizontal plane. These mercury switches are connected to the imaging unit 5 with a rotation axis along the imaging optical axis.
When 4 is rotated, “ON / OFF” is switched as shown in FIG. 9 according to the rotation. The imaging posture detecting unit 56 associates the mercury switch thus switched with “ON / OFF” combination,
Four postures (a) to (d) shown in FIG. 9 are detected.

The attitude of the imaging unit 54 detected by such a detection method is notified to the control unit 50 via the control bus 52. The control unit 50 stores the orientation of the imaging unit 54 detected by the imaging orientation detection unit 56 in a frame memory 58 for recording.
And request to store the image signal (FIG. 8S
3). In response to such a request, the recording frame memory 5
8, the image signal provided from the imaging unit 54 is scanned and stored as a two-dimensional image signal, but the direction in which scanning is to be performed is notified from the control unit 50 to the imaging unit 5.
It is determined by the posture of 4. For example, as shown in FIG. 9D, the imaging unit 54 moves 90 degrees counterclockwise with respect to the standard posture.
If the posture is rotated by degrees, the scanning direction at the time of storage is rotated by 90 degrees counterclockwise.

The control unit 50 monitors the completion of the image signal storage performed in this manner, and requests the recording frame memory 58 to read the image signal at the timing when the storage is completed (S4 in FIG. 8). The recording frame memory 58
The stored two-dimensional image signals are sequentially scanned, and a horizontal synchronization signal and a vertical synchronization signal are added to generate a one-dimensional recording image signal (hereinafter, simply referred to as a “recorded image signal”). The recording image signal generated in this manner is supplied to the disk drive 60 and the display frame memory 64.

The control unit 50 monitors the timing at which the recording image signal is generated in this manner, and requests the disk drive 60 to record the recording image signal at the timing (S5 in FIG. 8). Also, the control unit 50 requests the display frame memory 64 to store the recording image signal (FIG. 8S
6). In the disk drive 60, a recording image signal is recorded on a recording medium, and in the display frame memory 64, the recording image signal is stored.

The control unit 50 monitors the completion of the storage of the image signal performed by the display frame memory 64 in this way, and at the timing when the storage is completed, reads and displays the recorded image signal and displays the display image memory. And a request to the display unit 62 (S7 in FIG. 8). The display frame memory 64 sequentially scans the stored two-dimensional recording image signal in accordance with the area of the display screen of the display unit 62, and adds a horizontal synchronization signal and a vertical synchronization signal to perform one-dimensional display. An image signal (hereinafter, simply referred to as a “display image signal”) is generated. The display image signal thus generated is displayed on the display unit 6.
2 and displayed.

The control unit 50 constantly monitors the operation instruction unit 53 and determines whether or not scrolling has been instructed by the operator (S8 in FIG. 8). When the control unit 50 recognizes that scrolling has been instructed as a result of such determination, the control unit 50 determines the moving direction and the moving distance of the display image based on the instruction, notifies the display frame memory 64 and performs scroll processing. (S9 in FIG. 8).

In the display frame memory 64, an area to be scanned at the time of reading is changed in accordance with the moving direction and the moving distance notified as described above. In addition, the control unit 50 determines whether or not the end of the recording has been instructed by the operator (S10 in FIG. 8), and as a result of the determination, recognizes that the end of the recording has been instructed, and notifies each unit of the end of the process. I do.

That is, in this embodiment, it is reliably determined to which of (a) to (d) shown in FIG. 9 the posture of the imaging section belongs. Further, since the scanning direction at the time of storing the image signal in the recording frame memory 58 is changed in units of 90 degrees, the image signal is associated with the posture of the
It is rotated in degrees and converted to a recorded image signal. Therefore, even when the image capturing unit 54 is held in the vertical position by the operator or when the image capturing unit 54 is inverted, the upper and lower sides of the recorded image are kept constant.

In the present embodiment, a portion of the image rotated with the change in the attitude of the imaging unit 54, which extends beyond the display screen of the display unit 62, is scrolled. Therefore,
Even when the image capturing unit 54 is held in the vertical position by the operator, and the image goes up and down from the display screen, the entire image to be recorded is reliably confirmed.

(Second Embodiment) FIG.
FIG. 14 is a functional block diagram of an embodiment corresponding to the invention described in FIG. In the figure, the same reference numerals are given to those having the same functions as those of the functional block diagram of the embodiment corresponding to the first, fourth, and seventh aspects of the present invention shown in FIG. Description is omitted.

The difference between the present embodiment and the embodiments corresponding to the first, fourth and seventh aspects of the present invention is that an imaging direction detecting section 70 is provided and shown in FIG. The difference is that a control unit 72 and a recording frame memory 74 are provided instead of the control unit 50 and the recording frame memory 58.

The imaging direction detecting section 70 includes the imaging section 5.
1 is rotated about a rotation axis along a horizontal axis on the imaging surface, and FIG.
As shown in FIG. 5 (b), a switch is provided which is brought into contact with and turned on when the imaging surface and the display screen match. Further, regarding the correspondence between the principle block diagrams shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 and the present embodiment, the imaging unit 10 corresponds to the imaging unit 54, and the imaging posture detection unit 12 corresponds to the imaging posture detection unit 56. The image conversion unit 14 corresponds to the recording frame memory 74, the recording unit 16 corresponds to the disk drive 60, the imaging direction detection unit 18 corresponds to the imaging direction detection unit 70, and the display unit 20 corresponds to the display unit 62. .

FIG. 11 is an operation flowchart of an embodiment according to the second to fourth aspects of the present invention. Hereinafter, the operation of the embodiment according to the second to fourth aspects of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. The control unit 72 monitors the operation instruction unit 53 via the control bus 52, and requests the imaging unit 54 to generate an image signal when in the recording state (S1 in FIG. 10). In addition, the control unit 72
The image capturing unit 54 is requested to detect the attitude of the image capturing unit 54 (S2 in FIG. 10), and the direction of the image capturing unit 54 is requested to the image capturing direction detecting unit 70 (S3 in FIG. 10).

In the image pickup section 54, an optical image is formed and signal charges are generated in the same manner as in the first, fourth and seventh embodiments of the present invention. The data is converted and supplied to the recording frame memory 74. In the imaging posture detection unit 56, as in the embodiment corresponding to the invention described in claim 1, claim 4, and claim 7,
Four postures (a) to (d) shown in FIG. 9 are detected.

The imaging direction detecting section 70 notifies the control section 72 of the state of the switch described above. The control unit 72 notifies the recording frame memory 74 of the orientation of the imaging unit 54 detected by the imaging orientation detection unit 56 and requests storage of an image signal (S4 in FIG. 10).

The recording frame memory 74 scans the image signal supplied from the image pickup section 54 and scans the two-dimensional image in the same manner as in the first, fourth and seventh embodiments of the present invention. It is stored as a signal. Control unit 7
2 judges the state of the switch notified from the imaging direction detection unit 70 (S5 in FIG. 10), and when recognizing that the switch is in the “ON” state (state in which the direction of the imaging unit 54 is reversed), the image signal To the recording frame memory 74 that the scanning direction at the time of reading is changed (FIG. 10).
S6). The control unit 72 monitors the completion of the storage of the image signal, and requests the reading of the image signal from the recording frame memory 74 at the timing when the storage is completed (S 10 in FIG. 10).
7).

The recording frame memory 74 has the following features.
Similarly to the embodiments according to the fourth and seventh aspects of the present invention, the stored two-dimensional image signal is scanned to generate a recording image signal. Note that the scanning direction is reversed (in some cases, the main scanning direction is also reversed) only when the control unit 72 notifies the change in the scanning direction.

The recording image signal generated in this manner is applied to the disk drive 60 and recorded on the recording medium in the same manner as in the first, fourth and seventh embodiments of the present invention. (S8 in FIG. 10), and is given to and stored in the display frame memory 64 (S8 in FIG. 10).
9). The recorded image signal stored in the display frame memory 64 is given to the display unit 62 as a display image signal and displayed as in the first, fourth and seventh embodiments. (S10 in FIG. 10).

The control section 72 monitors the operation instructing section 53 to determine whether or not the operator has instructed the end of the recording (S11 in FIG. 10). As a result of the determination, the end of the recording has been instructed. When it recognizes, it notifies each unit of the end of the processing.

That is, in this embodiment, when face-to-face photography is being performed, the recording frame memory 74
Since the sub-scanning direction at the time of reading the image signal is reversed, the displayed image is vertically inverted. Therefore, a mirror image is displayed and recorded during face-to-face shooting even when the image capturing unit 54 is held in the vertical position or inverted.

If the directions of the main scanning and the sub-scanning are reversed at the time of reading the image signal, the mirror image is corrected. In the present embodiment, the recording frame memory 74 is used.
Does not show a method of determining whether to include the inversion of the main scanning direction when reading an image signal, but, for example, whether or not to display and record a mirror image by an operator is set in advance. It may be determined based on the setting.

In each of the embodiments described above, the attitude of the imaging unit is detected by the mercury switch. However, for example, a change in angle is measured by an angular velocity sensor.
As long as the angle at which the imaging unit is rotated along the rotation axis along the imaging optical axis is reliably detected, any method of detecting the attitude of the imaging unit may be used. Further, in each of the above-described embodiments, the change in the posture of the imaging unit is detected in units of 90 degrees, and the image is rotated in units of 90 degrees. By providing a mercury switch and dedicated hardware for performing image processing, an image may be rotated flexibly in response to a change in the attitude of the imaging unit.

(Third Embodiment) FIG. 12 is a functional block diagram of an embodiment according to the fifth and sixth aspects of the present invention. In the figure, the same reference numerals are given to those having the same functions as those of the functional block diagram of the embodiment corresponding to the first, fourth, and seventh aspects of the present invention shown in FIG. Description is omitted.

The difference between the present embodiment and the embodiments corresponding to the first, fourth and seventh aspects of the present invention is that the operation screen frame memory 80, the video display processing section 81, An overlay processing unit 82 and a display attitude detection unit 86 are provided, and a control unit 8 is provided instead of the control unit 50, the imaging attitude detection unit 56, the recording frame memory 58, the display frame memory 64, and the operation instruction unit 53 shown in FIG.
4. The point is that a recording frame memory 88, a display frame memory 89, and a touch panel 90 are provided.

The display attitude detecting section 86 has two mercury switches arranged along the display screen, and detects the attitude of the imaging section 54 by a detection method described later. Further, regarding the correspondence between the principle block diagrams shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 and the present embodiment, the imaging unit 30 corresponds to the imaging unit 54, the recording unit 32 corresponds to the disk drive 60, and the display image conversion unit 34 Is the display frame memory 89
, The display unit 36 corresponds to the display unit 62, the display posture detection unit 38 corresponds to the display posture detection unit 86, and the accompanying image unit 40 corresponds to the operation screen frame memory 80 and the overlay processing unit 82.

FIG. 13 is an operation flowchart of the embodiment according to the fifth and sixth aspects of the present invention. The operation of the embodiment according to the fifth and sixth aspects of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. When in the recording state, the control unit 84 requests the imaging unit 54 to generate an image signal (S1 in FIG. 13),
It requests the display attitude detection unit 86 to detect the attitude of the display unit 62 (S2 in FIG. 13).

In the image pickup section 54, an optical image is formed and a signal charge is generated in the same manner as in the embodiments according to the first, fourth and seventh aspects of the present invention. The signal charges generated in this manner are converted into one-dimensional image signals and supplied to the recording frame memory 88 and the video display processing unit 81.

As shown in FIG. 9, two mercury switches are arranged in the display posture detecting section 86 at right angles to each other and at an angle of 45 degrees with respect to the horizontal plane. When the display unit 62 is rotated on a rotation axis along the orthogonal axis of the display screen, these mercury switches are switched between “ON / OFF” as shown in FIG. 9 according to the rotation. The display attitude detection unit 86 detects the four attitudes (a) to (d) shown in FIG. 9 in association with the “ON / OFF” combinations of the mercury switches switched in this way.

The control unit 84 monitors the timing at which the one-dimensional image signal is generated by the imaging unit 54, and requests the recording frame memory 88 and the disk drive 60 to record the image signal on the recording medium at that timing. (S3 in FIG. 13). In response to such a request, the recording frame memory 88 temporarily stores a one-dimensional image signal given from the imaging unit 54. The image signal stored in this manner is scanned in the same direction as that at the time of storage, and given to the disk drive 60 as a recording image signal to be recorded.

The control section 84 monitors the timing at which the image signal is given to the video display processing section 81, and at that timing, superimposes the image signal on the operation screen image signal. A request is made to the operation screen frame memory 80 and the overlay processing unit 82 (S4 in FIG. 13). In the video display processing unit 81, the image signal is subjected to pixel density conversion and supplied to the overlay processing unit 82 as a finder image signal.

In the frame memory 80 for operation screen, FIG.
4, image signals for an operation screen such as a “record button” and a “stop button” are stored in advance in the image displayed on the display unit 62, and in response to a request from the control unit 84 as described above. The information is provided to the overlay processing unit 82 accordingly.

In the overlay processing section 82, the image signal for the finder supplied from the video display processing section 81 and the image signal for the operation screen supplied from the operation screen frame memory 80 are superimposed. The image signals thus superimposed are supplied to the display frame memory 89. When recognizing that the image signals have been superimposed in this way, the control unit 84 notifies the display frame memory 89 of the orientation of the display unit 62 detected by the display orientation detection unit 86 and simultaneously outputs the image signal. Request storage (S5 in FIG. 13).

In the display frame memory 89, the image signal provided from the overlay processing unit 82 is scanned in a direction corresponding to the posture notified by the control unit 84.
It is stored as a two-dimensional image signal. For example, FIG.
As shown in (2), when the display unit 62 is in a posture rotated 90 degrees clockwise with respect to the standard posture, the scanning direction at the time of storage is rotated 90 degrees counterclockwise.

The control section 84 monitors the completion of the storage of the image signal thus performed, and requests the display frame memory 89 and the display section 62 to read and display the image signal at the timing when the storage is completed. (FIG. 13S
6). The display frame memory 89 stores the stored 2
A one-dimensional image signal for display (hereinafter simply referred to as a “display image signal”) is generated by sequentially scanning the one-dimensional image signal and adding a horizontal synchronization signal and a vertical synchronization signal. The display image signal thus generated is provided to the display unit 62 and displayed.

The control unit 84 constantly monitors the external operation on the touch panel 90, and determines whether the external operation on the “stop button” has been performed (S7 in FIG. 13). Control unit 84
When recognizing that the stop of the recording has been requested as a result of such determination, notifies the respective units of the end of the processing. That is, in the present embodiment, the posture of the display unit 62 is as shown in FIG.
Which of (a) to (d) belongs to is reliably determined. In addition, since the scanning direction when the image signal is stored in the display frame memory 89 is changed in units of 90 degrees, the image signal is rotated in units of 90 degrees in association with the orientation of the display unit 62, and the display image signal is changed. Is converted to

Therefore, even when the display unit is held in the vertical position by the operator or when the display unit is inverted, the displayed image is kept up and down. Also, since the position of the operation button is kept constant regardless of the change in the attitude of the display unit, the position of the operation button moves even when the operator holds the display unit in the vertical position or flips the display unit. This eliminates the hassle of doing so and improves operability.

In this embodiment, the attitude of the display unit is detected by the mercury switch. However, for example, the change in the angle is measured by an angular velocity sensor. As long as the angle at which is rotated is reliably detected, the method of detecting the attitude of the display unit may be any method. Further, in the present embodiment, a change in the posture of the display unit is detected in units of 90 degrees, and the display image is displayed in 9 units.
Although it is rotated in units of 0 degrees, for example, O
By providing a plurality of N-state omnidirectional mercury switches and dedicated hardware for image processing,
The display image may be rotated flexibly in response to the change in the attitude of the display unit.

[0065]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, when the imaging means is rotated around a rotation axis along the photographing optical axis, the image generated by the imaging means is
The image is recorded in a state in which the upper and lower sides coincide with an image that can be generated in a predetermined posture. According to the second aspect of the present invention, even if the image pickup unit is turned upside down by being rotated about a rotation axis along a horizontal axis on the image pickup surface, the image to be recorded is up and down. Is maintained in a predetermined state.

Further, according to the third aspect of the present invention, the image generated by the imaging means has a direction which coincides with an image which can be generated in a predetermined posture regardless of the rotation axis on which the imaging means is rotated. Recorded in. Therefore, in the electronic camera to which the inventions of claims 1 to 3 are applied, the upper and lower sides of the image to be recorded are always kept constant without making the operator aware of the attitude of the imaging surface.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, even when the photographing is performed while the posture of the image pickup means is changed, the posture of the display means coincides with the posture at the time of reproduction. Then, it is possible to confirm the upper and lower sides of the image displayed during reproduction while monitoring the subject. Furthermore, in the invention according to claim 5, even when the display means is rotated about a rotation axis along the orthogonal axis of the display screen, the image displayed on the display means is determined in advance. The displayed image is displayed in a state where the upper and lower sides of the image can be displayed in the posture that has been aligned.

According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, the display image displayed on the display means is not limited to the image generated by the image pickup means, but is vertically aligned with an image which can be displayed in a predetermined posture. It is displayed in the state where it was set. Therefore,
In the electronic camera to which the inventions of claims 5 and 6 are applied, the upper and lower sides of the image to be displayed are always kept constant without making the operator aware of the attitude of the display screen.

According to the seventh aspect of the present invention, a display image generated by rotating a recorded image or a supplementary image can be reliably formed even if it is a portion that protrudes from the frame of the display screen due to the rotation. Is displayed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a principle block diagram of the invention according to claim 1;

FIG. 2 is a principle block diagram of the invention described in claims 2 and 3;

FIG. 3 is a principle block diagram of the invention according to claim 4;

FIG. 4 is a principle block diagram of the invention described in claim 5;

FIG. 5 is a principle block diagram of the invention according to claim 6;

FIG. 6 is a principle block diagram of the invention according to claim 7;

FIG. 7 is a functional block diagram of an embodiment corresponding to the first, fourth, and seventh aspects of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is an operation flowchart of an embodiment according to the first, fourth and seventh aspects of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a posture detection method.

FIG. 10 is a functional block diagram of an embodiment according to the second to fourth aspects of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is an operation flowchart of an embodiment according to the second to fourth aspects of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a functional block diagram of an embodiment corresponding to the invention described in claims 5 and 6;

FIG. 13 is an operation flowchart of the embodiment corresponding to the inventions of claims 5 and 6;

FIG. 14 is a diagram showing a display example of a display unit.

FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating rotation of an imaging unit.

FIG. 16 is a diagram showing a change in attitude of the electronic camera.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10, 30 imaging means 12 imaging attitude detection means 14 recorded image conversion means 16, 32 recording means 18 imaging direction detection means 20, 36 display means 34 display image conversion means 38 display attitude detection means 40 attached image means 42 scroll means 50, 72 , 84 control unit 52 control bus 53 operation instruction unit 54 imaging unit 56 imaging posture detection unit 58, 74, 88 frame memory for recording 60 disk drive 62 display unit 64, 89 frame memory for display 70 imaging direction detection unit 80 for operation screen Frame memory 81 Video display processing unit 82 Overlay processing unit 86 Display attitude detection unit 90 Touch panel

Claims (7)

[Claims] An imaging unit configured to capture an image of a subject to generate an image; and a direction in which the imaging unit is rotated with respect to a predetermined attitude about a rotation axis along an imaging optical axis of the imaging unit. An image-capturing attitude detecting means for detecting a position and an angle, a recording-image converting means for generating a recorded image by rotating the image by the direction and the angle detected by the image-capturing attitude detecting means, An electronic camera comprising: a recording unit that records a recorded image. 2. The electronic camera according to claim 1, wherein the imaging unit is rotated about a rotation axis along a horizontal axis on an imaging surface of the imaging unit with respect to a predetermined posture. When the angle detected by the imaging direction detecting means exceeds a predetermined limit value, the recording image converting means moves up and down with the rotation with respect to the image. An electronic camera, which performs a reversal to generate a recorded image. 3. The electronic camera according to claim 2, wherein the recorded image conversion unit generates a recorded image by performing a horizontal inversion on the image in addition to a vertical inversion on the image. camera. 4. The electronic camera according to claim 1, further comprising a display unit that displays a recorded image generated by the recorded image conversion unit as a display image. Electronic camera. 5. An image capturing means for capturing an image of a subject to generate an image, a recording means for recording an image generated by the image capturing means as a recorded image, and a display image generated from the recorded image recorded by the recording means Display image converting means, display means for displaying a display image generated by the display image converting means, and a display means which is determined in advance around a rotation axis along an orthogonal axis of a display screen of the display means. Display orientation detecting means for detecting a direction and an angle rotated with respect to the tilted attitude, wherein the display image converting means rotates the recording image in the opposite direction at the angle detected by the display attitude detecting means. An electronic camera for generating a display image. 6. The electronic camera according to claim 5, further comprising: an auxiliary image unit that generates or captures an auxiliary image to be displayed on the display unit as a part of the display image. An electronic camera, wherein a supplementary image is rotated in an opposite direction at an angle detected by the display posture detecting means and added to a display image. 7. The electronic camera according to claim 4, further comprising a scroll unit for scrolling a display image that protrudes from a frame of a display screen of the display unit.