JPH10200845A - Device, method and medium for recording image - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To effectively control the recording position of images by continuously recording the images on a recording medium for respective groups set beforehand at the time of photographing by an extremely simple operation. SOLUTION: When it is judged that the number of a specified position is stored in a RAM 12, the necessity of storage is judged next and shifting to photographing is immediately performed. Still images formed through a lens are converted to electric signals by a CCD 1 and image data obtained by being digitized in an A/D conversion part 3 through a buffer 2 are tentatively stored in a DRAM 6 through a timing generator TG 4. The image data for one screen tentatively stored in the DRAM 6 are separated into luminance signals and color difference signals by a CPU 9 and they are compressed further by a compression/expansion part 7. The processed images are recorded at the specified position of a flash memory 8. In the case that no specification is present in the RAM 12, they are recorded next to the final frame of the flash memory 8.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image recording apparatus, method, and medium suitable for recording an image photographed by a digital still camera on a recording medium.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, in addition to a camera for taking a normal silver halide photograph, a digital image taken by using a CCD element is recorded on a recording medium such as a semiconductor memory, the recorded image is read, and a video output terminal is provided. Digital still cameras that display on a television receiver via a PC or capture image information into a personal computer via a serial input / output terminal are widely and widely used.

In this type of digital still camera, images obtained by shooting are recorded on a recording medium in the order of photographing in chronological order. When adding numbers in groups, the number part of each recorded image is rewritten by software so that consecutive numbers are added for each group. Did not change the recording position.

[0004]

As described above, a method of dividing a plurality of images recorded on a recording medium into several groups and adding consecutive numbers to each group is as follows.
It merely rewrites the number of the already recorded image.

Therefore, for example, the first 48 of the 96 images that can be recorded on the recording medium prior to photographing are used as the first 48 images.
Group, the latter 48 images are set as a second group, images of the first group and the second group are photographed in parallel, and when the expected number of images for each group is completed, the group End shooting the image of
As described above, there is no device that controls the recording position of an image at the time of photographing.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has as its object to provide an image recording apparatus, method, and method capable of controlling the recording position of an image at the time of photographing with a very simple operation. To provide a medium.

[0007]

According to the first aspect of the present invention,
Recording means for recording a plurality of images, photographing means for photographing the images, designation means for designating the recording position of the image of the recording means, and Recording control means for recording an image obtained by the photographing means at the designated position of the recording means.

With such a configuration, it is possible to control the recording position of the image at the time of photographing with a very simple operation, and to continuously record the image on the recording medium for each preset group. Excellent usability, such as limiting the number of images taken for each group.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image recording method for recording a photographed image on a recording medium capable of recording a plurality of images, comprising: a designation step of designating a recording position of an image on the recording medium; A recording control step of recording the photographed image at the designated position on the recording medium when the recording position of the image is designated in the designation step.

According to this method, the recording position of the image can be controlled at the time of photographing by a very simple operation, and the image can be continuously recorded on the recording medium for each group set in advance. Excellent usability, such as limiting the number of images taken for each group.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a medium storing a program for recording a photographed image on a recording medium capable of storing a plurality of images, wherein a designation for designating a recording position of the image on the recording medium is provided. A program is stored which has a step and a recording control step of recording the photographed image at the designated position on the recording medium when the recording position of the image is designated in the designation step.

With such a program configuration, the recording position of an image is controlled at the time of shooting by a very simple operation,
Since images can be continuously recorded on the recording medium for each group set in advance, the usability can be improved, for example, by limiting the number of shot images for each group.

[0013]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

(First Embodiment) An embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a digital still camera will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows the circuit configuration. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a CCD, which converts a still image formed through a lens (not shown) into an electric signal.

The electric signal from the CCD 1 is supplied to a buffer 2 where it is amplified to a predetermined level.
It is supplied to the D conversion unit 3. The A / D converter 3 converts a still image signal into digital data (hereinafter, referred to as image data), and converts the image data into TG (Timing).
(Generator) 4.

TG 4 is a driving circuit 5 for driving CCD 1
Is generated, and the timing signal is supplied to the drive circuit 5 and the image data is taken in according to the timing signal.

The TG 4 is connected with a DRAM (dynamic memory) 6, a compression / expansion unit 7, and a flash memory (image memory) 8. The DRAM 6 is a storage medium for temporarily storing image data captured according to the timing signal of the TG 4. Further, in the DRAM 6, a C
Under the control of the PU 9, the image data is read out at the time when the shooting of one screen is completed, and a color operation process for separating the luminance signal and the color difference signal is performed.

The compression / expansion unit 7 converts the luminance signal and the color difference signal separated by the color operation processing into, for example, JPEG (Joi).
nt Photographic Coding Ex
In addition, compression is performed by a compression method such as a “parts Group” method, and processing for expanding compressed compressed image data is performed.

The flash memory 8 records the compressed image data (luminance signal and color difference signal). In this case, the recording area of the flash memory 8 is divided into a plurality of blocks, and image data and the like are recorded in each block.

On the other hand, 9 is a CPU.
In addition to the above-described TG 4, DRAM 6, compression / decompression unit 7, flash memory 8, key input unit 10, ROM 11, RA
M12 and SG (Signal Generator:
Video signal generator) 13 is connected.

The CPU 9 controls the operation of each unit in accordance with the control program stored in the ROM 11 and the state of the key switches of the key input unit 10. RAM12
Are used as a working area of the CPU 9.

The key input unit 10 is composed of key switches such as an operation mode (image capture mode key and reproduction mode key), a recording key as a shutter button, a numerical key, and a search key. And this key input unit 1
The key operation state of 0 is taken into the CPU 9.

The SG 13 superimposes a color difference signal on the luminance signal expanded by the compression / expansion unit 7 and adds a synchronization signal to create a digital video signal. The SG 13 is connected to a VRAM (video RAM) 14 and a D / A converter 15, and an output terminal 17 and an LCD (liquid crystal display panel) 18 are connected to the D / A converter 15 via a buffer 16.

The VRAM 14 is a storage medium for temporarily expanding and storing digital video signals for display. Also, D /
The A-converter 15 converts the digital video signal output from the SG 13 into an analog signal (hereinafter, referred to as an “analog video signal”), outputs the signal from the output terminal 17 via the buffer 16, and supplies the signal to the LCD 18. I have. The LCD 18 displays an image in accordance with an analog video signal supplied via the buffer 16, and has a backlight (not shown).

A serial I / O 20 is connected to the CPU 9 via an I / O port 19. The I / O port 19 functions as an interface for inputting and outputting image data converted into a serial signal.

Next, the operation of the above embodiment will be described. FIG. 2 shows an example in which image data is recorded in the flash memory 8 in response to an operation of a recording key, which is a shutter button, in a state where an image capture mode is set, which is executed by the CPU 9 based on a control program stored in the ROM 11. At first, whether or not there is a designation of a recording position of image data to be taken in the flash memory 8 is determined by whether or not a numeric key of the key input unit 10 is operated. By repeatedly and continuously determining whether or not the recording key is operated (step S
1, S2), and waits for input of these numerical keys or recording keys.

If it is determined in step S1 that the numeric key has been operated before the operation of the recording key, the operation of the numeric key specifies the recording position of the next image data to be photographed in the flash memory 8. The number of the designated position is temporarily stored in a preset register position of the RAM 12 (step S3), and then the step S1 is again executed.
Return to the processing from.

When it is determined in step S2 that the recording key has been operated, first, it is determined whether or not the number of the position designated by the operation of the numeric key is stored in the preset register position of the RAM 12, that is, the image position. It is determined whether or not there is a designation (step S4).

If it is determined that the number of the designated position is not stored in the RAM 12, it means that there is no designation of the image position, and the process immediately shifts to photographing (step S5).
The still image formed by the CD 1 via a lens (not shown) is converted into an electric signal, and the image data obtained by digitization by the A / D converter 3 via the buffer 2 is fetched at an immediate timing via the TG 4. The data is temporarily stored in the DRAM 6.

The image data for one screen temporarily stored in the DRAM 6 is separated into a luminance signal and a color difference signal by the CPU 9, and the separated luminance signal and color difference signal are compressed / decompressed by the CPU 7.
After the compression, the flash memory 8 does not have a position next to the position where the image data has already been recorded, that is, a rectangular recording area actually corresponding to the image. Is recorded at the position next to the last frame recorded (step S6).

FIG. 3 exemplifies the concept of recording in the flash memory 8 at this time. If it is assumed that "n" image data have already been recorded by that time, a new image recorded at that time is assumed. Data is "n + 1"
This is to be recorded in an empty recording area as the second image data.

At this time, in the "n + 1" -th image data, the luminance signal is expanded by the compression / expansion unit 7 at the same time, the chrominance signal is superimposed, the synchronization signal is added, and the digital video signal is created. The D / A converter 15 converts the digital video signal output from the SG 13 into an analog video signal, supplies the analog video signal to the LCD 18 via the buffer 16, and displays and outputs the captured video. This allows the user to confirm the photographed content.

When the recording is completed, the process returns to the step S1 again in preparation for recording the next image data. Further, in step S4, the number of the designated position by operating the numerical keys is stored in the preset register position of the RAM 12, and if it is determined that the image position is designated, the process immediately shifts to shooting. (Step S
7), the still image formed by the CCD 1 through a lens (not shown) is converted into an electric signal,
The image data obtained by digitization in the / D conversion unit 3 is represented by T
The data is fetched at an immediate timing via the G4 and is temporarily stored in the DRAM 6.

The image data for one screen temporarily stored in the DRAM 6 is separated into a luminance signal and a color difference signal by the CPU 9, and the separated luminance signal and color difference signal are compressed / compressed by the compression / expansion unit 7.
After the compression, the positions below the designated position in the flash memory 8 are sequentially sorted in the backward direction by one image data (step S8), and photographed at the designated position vacated by the sorting. The recorded image data is recorded (step S8).

FIG. 4 exemplifies the concept of recording in the flash memory 8 at this time. The photographed image data is represented by "n" which has already been stored.
Assuming that the position is designated and recorded,
As shown in (1), after each of the recorded image data including the “n” -th image data is shifted backward (sorting) by one image data, then, as shown in FIG. Is recorded in the empty recording area as new "n" -th image data.

At this time, the luminance data is expanded by the compression / expansion unit 7 and the color difference signal is superimposed on the image data recorded at the “n” th at the same time, and a synchronization signal is added to create a digital video signal. The D / A converter 15 converts the digital video signal output from the SG 13 into an analog video signal,
The digital still camera 8 is supplied to the digital still camera 8 to display and output the captured video, thereby allowing the user of the digital still camera to confirm the captured content.

When recording is completed in this way, the process returns to step S1 again in preparation for recording the next image data. As described above, only when the recording key is operated after the position is specified, the image data is recorded at the specified position, and when not specified, the image data is sequentially recorded in chronological order. become.

Therefore, for example, if the number of image data that can be recorded in the flash memory 8 before photographing is 96, the first half of the image data is stored in the first group, and the second half of the image data is stored in the second group. Set as a group,
If the images of the second group are designated in the flash memory 8 starting from the "49" th image and the images of the first and second groups are photographed in parallel, the expected number of photographed images of each group is obtained. At the end of the process, there should be a display or warning that new image data cannot be recorded unless the already recorded image data is deleted. Recording position can be controlled.

In the above embodiment, the recording position is designated by a numeral. For example, as shown in FIG. 4A, the recording position is designated in advance for each group (the first position). Group, second group), and the recording position may be designated by selecting this group.

Further, in the above embodiment, the processing contents shown in FIG. 2 are executed by the CPU 9 by the control program stored in the ROM 11, but such a control program is stored in a CD-ROM, a floppy disk or the like. An external storage medium or a storage medium including a semiconductor memory such as a flash EEPROM may be used by reading and using the storage medium, or a storage medium that transmits data transmitted from outside by data communication to a certain storage medium. It may be. In addition, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and can be variously modified and implemented without departing from the gist thereof.

[0041]

According to the invention of any one of claims 1 to 3, the recording position of the image is controlled by a very simple operation at the time of photographing, and the image is continuously recorded on the recording medium for each group set in advance. Therefore, it is possible to improve the usability, for example, by limiting the number of shot images for each group.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a circuit configuration according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing processing contents according to the embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a view exemplifying a recording state of image data according to the embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a view exemplifying a recording state of image data according to the embodiment;

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... CCD 2 ... Buffer 3 ... A / D conversion part 4 ... TG (timing generator) 5 ... Driving circuit 6 ... DRAM (dynamic memory) 7 ... Compression / decompression part 8 ... Flash memory (image memory) 9 ... CPU 10 ... Key input section 11 ROM 12 RAM 13 SG (video signal generator) 14 VRAM (video RAM) 15 D / A converter 16 buffer 17 output terminal 18 LCD (liquid crystal display panel) 19 I / O port 20 ... Serial I / O

Claims (3)

[Claims] A recording means for recording a plurality of images; a photographing means for photographing the images; a designation means for designating an image recording position of the recording means; and a designation of an image recording position by the designation means. Recording means for recording an image obtained by the photographing means at the designated position of the recording means. 2. An image recording method for recording a photographed image on a recording medium capable of recording a plurality of images, comprising: a designation step of designating a recording position of an image on the recording medium; A recording control step of recording the photographed image at the designated position on the recording medium when a position is designated. 3. A medium storing a program for recording a photographed image on a recording medium capable of storing a plurality of images, wherein: a designation step of designating a recording position of the image on the recording medium; And a recording control step of recording the photographed image at the designated position on the recording medium when the recording position of the image is designated by the following method.