JPH10341388A - Electronic camera having communication function - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent the occurrence of transmission errors by displaying the number of transmissible images corresponding to the remaining capacity of image data memory inside plural cameras on the reception side for each of plural cameras on the reception side, prior to an image data transfer. SOLUTION: A transmission side camera 10 is set to a communication mode by a mode-setting switch. When the communication mode is set, the ID and CAL signal of transmission side camera 10 are transmitted from the optical communication output part of that camera by infrared communication. That infrared signal is received by the optical communication input parts of respective reception side cameras 20A.... In response to this signal, the reception side cameras 20A... timewise sequentially return their ID data and the data for capacities remained in the image memories through optical communication in the order of their own given ID. When the remaining capacities of image memories are received from the respective reception side cameras 20A..., the transmission side camera 10 calculates the number of transmissible images for each reception side camera and displays that number in a monitor screen.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electronic camera having a communication function of recording captured image data in an image data memory and transferring the image data between cameras.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Electronic cameras include an electronic still camera for photographing a still image and a video camera for photographing a moving image. The electronic still camera includes an image sensor such as a CCD, captures an image captured by an optical system, and records the photoelectrically converted image data in a built-in image data memory. Unlike a traditional still camera of the type that exposes a photosensitive film, image data can be processed by a digital signal, and editing, transfer, recording, etc. of an image can be easily performed on a computer.

[0003] Such electronic still cameras are further provided with functions such as optical communication using infrared rays or communication using a communication cable, and a function of transferring image data between cameras. That is, cameras having compatible communication functions are faced to each other, set to a state in which bidirectional communication by light is possible, and the compressed image data in the image memory is transferred from one camera to the other camera. Is stored in the image data memory in the other camera. Alternatively, the camera is connected with a communication cable to transfer image data. In that case, it is possible to simultaneously transfer image data to a plurality of cameras.

[0004]

However, depending on the accuracy of the image data itself, the data capacity is generally large and the number of images that can be stored in the built-in image data memory is limited. Accordingly, when the recordable capacity of the image data memory in the camera on the receiving side is small, transmission of an image data of a larger capacity from the camera on the transmitting side causes a transmission error.

Further, when image data is simultaneously transferred to a plurality of cameras, a communication error may occur even when a recordable capacity of a part of a receiving camera is smaller than a capacity of image data to be transmitted. Becomes To prevent this, it is necessary to check the remaining capacity of the receiving camera.

Further, when it is desired to select a camera having the maximum remaining capacity from among a plurality of cameras and to transfer as much image data as possible, the remaining capacity of the camera on the receiving side is determined one by one. It is necessary for the operator to check the camera having the maximum capacity before starting communication between the cameras, and the operation is complicated.

[0007] Further, among a plurality of transfer-capable receiving cameras, it is necessary to select an arbitrary receiving camera or an arbitrary image from the relationship between the remaining receivable capacity and the image data to be transmitted. In some cases, the operator wants to perform the operation with high flexibility or flexibility. In that case,
Checking the remaining capacity of each camera on the receiving side or checking the capacity of image data to be transmitted is complicated.

An object of the present invention is to provide an electronic camera capable of preventing transmission errors from occurring when image data is transferred to a plurality of receiving cameras.

It is another object of the present invention to transfer image data to a plurality of receiving cameras without transferring the image data beyond the remaining capacity of the image data memory of the receiving camera. It is an object of the present invention to provide an electronic camera that can be made.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an electronic camera which can easily select a camera to which image data to be transmitted can be transferred from a plurality of receiving cameras.

[0011]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention relates to an image data memory for recording captured image data and an electronic camera having a communication function for transferring the image data to a different camera. Before image data transfer, receiving the remaining capacity data of the image data memory in the plurality of cameras on the receiving side, and displaying the number of transmittable images corresponding to the remaining capacity for each of the plurality of cameras on the receiving side. It has a control part.

By recognizing the number of transmittable images for each of the plurality of receiving-side cameras before transferring the image data, it is possible to prevent a case where an image more than the number of transmittable images is selected and transmitted by mistake. .

Further, by determining the number of images that can be transmitted by the camera on the receiving side, the number of images that can be transferred to all cameras is displayed, an arbitrary camera can be selected according to the number of images to be transmitted, and transmission can be performed. An image to be transmitted can be selected according to the number of images.

[0014]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. However, such embodiments do not limit the technical scope of the present invention.

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of an electronic still camera according to the present embodiment. On the front side of the body 1 of the camera, in addition to the projection lens 2, release switch 3, red-eye reduction lamp 6, and self-timer display lamp 7, an output 4 for optical communication between cameras and an input 5 for optical communication are provided. . The optical communication output 4 emits, for example, infrared light, and the optical communication input 5 receives infrared light from another camera. A mode setting switch 8 is used for selecting a mode such as a power supply, a photographing mode, and a communication mode, as described later.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a state in which cameras perform optical communication on a one-to-one basis. As shown, the camera 10 on the transmitting side and the camera 20 on the receiving side are opposed to each other,
The infrared light from the optical communication output 14 of the transmitting camera is input to the optical communication input 25 of the receiving camera, and the infrared light from the optical communication output 24 of the receiving camera is input to the optical communication input 15 of the transmitting camera. By transmitting each, two-way communication is enabled.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a schematic structure inside the electronic still camera. The microprocessor 30 incorporates a control program for photographing, a control program for communication, and the like, and controls photographing, communication, image selection, camera selection, and the like. In the present embodiment, the communication control program has a function of transferring image data to a plurality of cameras.

The microprocessor 30 is connected to an optical communication output unit 4 for transmitting infrared light, an optical communication input 5 for receiving infrared light, a mode setting key 8, and other input keys 32 to be described later. Also, the microprocessor 3
0 is connected to an imaging device 38 having a CCD element or the like,
The image data captured there is stored in the image memory 34. As the image memory 34, for example, a semiconductor flash memory is used so that recorded data is not lost even when the power is turned off. The red-eye lamp 6 and the self-timer lamp 7 are also connected.

The microprocessor 30 responds to the mode setting by the operator, activates the control program for the corresponding operation mode, executes the control program in response to an operation input from the operator, and executes necessary control programs. The display is displayed on a monitor device 36 described later, or various actuators are driven.

FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining capacity management of the image memory. The capacity of the image memory 34 is managed by the microprocessor 30. For example, in the management data area of the image memory 34, a file allocation
A table 35 is stored, and the file names, capacities, and addresses of the images A to E stored in the image memory 34 are stored in a file.
Recorded in the allocation table 35. Furthermore,
Regarding the remaining capacity of the image data, the capacity and the address are recorded in the file allocation table 35.

Therefore, when the receiving camera receives the CALL signal for starting communication by optical communication from the transmitting camera, the receiving camera reads the remaining capacity of the image memory in the receiving camera from the file allocation table 35 and reads its own capacity. The data is transmitted to the transmitting camera together with the ID data.

FIG. 5 is a diagram in the case of performing optical communication with a plurality of receiving cameras of the present embodiment. If you want to transfer image data to multiple receiving cameras,
For 0, a plurality of receiving cameras 20A, 20B, 20C
So that infrared light can be transmitted between the output and the input for optical communication as in the case of one-to-one.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the configuration of the back side of the electronic still camera of this embodiment. A release switch 3 is provided on the upper part of the camera, and a monitor device 36, a cross key 40, a set key 42, a camera selection mode / image selection mode switching key 43, and a transmission key 44 are provided on the back side in addition to the viewfinder 8. Can be In FIG. 6, an image selection screen is displayed on the monitor device 36 as an example.
An icon indicating the number of images (displayed in Greek numerals), a selected image number display field 50, a transmittable number field 46, an additional selectable number field 48, and the like are shown. These will be described later.

FIG. 7 is a control flowchart of the present embodiment. The operation of the electronic still camera according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to this flowchart. This flowchart shows the flowchart of the camera on the transmitting side, and the entire flowchart is in the shooting mode (S2, S3)
And communication modes (S4 to S22). The communication modes are classified into an operation at the start of communication (S4 to S6), a camera selection mode (S8 to S12), and an image selection mode (S15 to S22). .

The power is turned on by the mode setting switch 8 shown in FIG. 1, and the setting of the photographing mode or the communication mode is performed (S1). Normally, the mode is a photographing mode, and the photographing is performed (S3) after the release switch 3 is turned on (S2). Although the shooting operation is not described in detail here, the image exposed to the imaging device 38 composed of a CCD is recorded in the image memory 34 as image data.
Accordingly, the file allocation table 35
The file name, capacity, and address are also recorded.

When transferring image data to a plurality of cameras, the operator sets the positional relationship between the transmitting camera 10 and the receiving cameras 20A to 20A as shown in FIG. Then, the transmitting camera is set to the communication mode by the mode setting switch 8 (S1). Although not shown in the flowchart, the communication mode is set by the mode setting switch 8 on the receiving camera. When the receiving side has a plurality of cameras, a unique ID is given to each of the receiving side cameras by a setting switch (not shown), as described later, in order to give each transmitting side camera ID data. For example, cameras A, B, C. . . And so on.

When the communication mode is set, the ID and CAL of the camera are transmitted from the transmitting camera 10 in the state shown in FIG.
The L signal is transmitted from the optical communication output unit 14 by infrared communication. The infrared signal is received by the optical communication input unit 15 of each of the receiving cameras 20A to 20A. In response to this, the receiving cameras 20A to 20C return the ID data and the data of the remaining capacity in the image memory 34 by optical communication in chronological order in the order of the given own IDs. This is the first communication protocol.

When the transmitting camera 10 receives the remaining capacity of the image memory from each receiving camera (S5), it calculates the number of transmittable images for each receiving camera and displays the number in the monitor screen 36. It is displayed (S6).

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing changes in the monitor screen 36 in the camera selection mode. That is, by setting the mode switching key 43 provided on the rear side of the camera to the B side, the screen of the camera selection mode is displayed. In the example of FIG. 8A, the number of transmittable images is displayed in the transmittable number field 52 for each of the six receiving cameras A to F. That is,
In the column 52 below the icons A to F indicating the cameras, the respective possible numbers are displayed. Then, the number of images that can be received by all of the selected receiving cameras is displayed in the lowermost column 54 of the monitor screen 36. That is, this is the number of images that can be transferred to all of the selected receiving cameras, and is the minimum value of the number of images that can be transmitted by each camera. In the example of (1) in FIG.
The number of transmittable images when all the receiving cameras are selected by default is shown in a column 54.

As described above, by setting the camera selection mode, an arbitrary camera can be selected from the cameras on the receiving side. However, in the present embodiment, in the case of proceeding to the image selection mode without going through the camera selection mode, for example, it is assumed that all cameras are selected.

Now, suppose that the mode switching key 4 is temporarily operated by the operator.
3 is set to the camera selection mode “B”. FIG.
In the flowchart of step (1), the process proceeds to steps S8 to S13.
As shown in FIG. 8A, the icons "A", "B", "C", "D", "E", and "F" indicating the receiving camera are surrounded by a thick frame. , Set switch 4
When the camera 2 is turned on, as shown in FIG.
Is selected. The thick frame described above can be moved by operating the cross key 40 as shown in FIGS. 8 (3) and (4). Therefore, the camera can be selected by moving the thick frame with the cross key 40 and turning on the set switch 42 (S9, S10, S11, S1).
2).

In FIG. 8B, the camera A is selected, and the number of images that can be transmitted to all the cameras selected so far is displayed in a column 54. In the state of FIG. 8B, only the camera A is selected, and the number of transmittable images of the camera A is displayed in the column 54 as it is. Then, the icon of the camera A is changed to a shaded state. Further, FIG.
In (3), the selection of camera C is added, and camera C is 1
Since two sheets can be transmitted, the column 54 remains at 10 sheets. In FIG. 8D, the selection of the camera E is added, and the column 5
4 displays the number of transmittable images of the camera E, ie, five.

As described above, a plurality of arbitrary cameras can be selected, and the number of images that can be transmitted to all the selected cameras is displayed, so that the operator can select a camera while considering the number of images to be transmitted. Can be.

In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 8 (5), if the camera F whose transmittable number is zero is selected by the set switch 42, the transmission becomes impossible. A warning message such as "cannot be generated" is issued, or even if the set switch 42 is pressed, the display state of the icon of the camera does not change.

FIG. 8 (6) is a diagram showing another example of the monitor screen 36. In this example, when the camera selection mode is set, a mode “maximum number” for automatically selecting a camera having the maximum remaining capacity among receiving cameras, a mode “all cameras” for selecting all cameras, and the like Automatic setting of
A screen is displayed that allows the user to manually set any camera as described above (S8).

As described above, all cameras are selected by default, but by selecting "maximum number" on the screen of FIG. 8 (6), the camera C having the maximum capacity is automatically selected.
In the lowermost column 54, the number of transmittable images “12” of the camera C is displayed. Such selection of all cameras is used when, for example, the image data is retreated as much as possible in the image memory of the camera on the transmitting side for emergency evacuation.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a monitor screen when the image selection mode is set. When the mode switching key 43 is set to “A”, an image selection mode screen is displayed on the monitor screen. Here, it is assumed that the mode has shifted to the image selection mode after the cameras A, C, and E are selected as shown in FIG. Therefore, “5” is displayed in the transmittable number field 46 in FIG. To select an image, move the thick frame with the four-way controller 40 in the same manner as in the camera selection.
By pressing 2, the selection becomes valid (S15, S15
16, S17).

However, in the case of image selection, when the set switch 42 is pressed so that the number of images that can be transmitted does not exceed the number of images that can be transmitted, the microprocessor 30 checks whether the number of selected images exceeds the number of images that can be transmitted. It is determined whether or not it is (S18). If the number of transmission images is not exceeded, the selection of the transmission image becomes valid, and FIG.
Shaded display is given to the icon of the selected image as in (3) and (5) (S19). If the number exceeds the number that can be transmitted, a warning such as “cannot select any more” is displayed as shown in FIG. 9 (6), or the icon of the image is shaded even if the set switch 42 is pressed. A warning is given by not being able to do so and the selection is canceled (S20).

If all of the images to be transmitted cannot be selected due to the limitation on the number of transmittable images, the operator can set the camera selection mode again and select the camera again in steps S8 to S12. In that case, the selected image in the above-described image selection mode is stored so that it is not necessary to select the image again. Then, when returning to the image selection mode after selecting the camera again, the previously selected image is already displayed on the monitor screen as a selected state. Therefore, the operator can add or delete any screen.

In the flowchart of FIG. 7, the image selection mode may be executed before selecting a camera. In this case, the number of images that can be transmitted to all cameras is displayed in the transmittable number field 46 as described above. If the number is too small, the camera selection mode is designated to set the maximum transmittable camera or manually select an arbitrary camera. The operator can reciprocate between the image selection mode and the camera selection mode a required number of times. By doing so, it is possible to flexibly select the transfer destination camera and the transfer image.

Finally, when the transmission switch 44 is pressed (S21), the selected image data in the transmitting camera is transferred to the selected receiving camera. And
When the reception is completed, a reception confirmation signal is transmitted from the reception side camera, and the transmission side camera receives reception confirmation signals from all the selected cameras (S22). In this transfer of image data, no image is selected beyond the number of images receivable by the selected camera, so that it is possible to prevent a communication error due to insufficient capacity of the image data memory on the receiving side. .

FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating transmission of image data between cameras. This figure shows the transmitting camera 10 on the left.
On the right side, the receiving cameras 20A and 20B are shown, respectively. The left end shows the operation of the transmitting camera, the right end shows the operation of the receiving camera, and the center shows an example of communication data between the two cameras. The time from the top to the bottom in the figure is the time direction.

First, the positions and directions of both cameras are set.
The state is as shown in FIG. Then, the transmitting camera sets the communication mode to the transmission mode by the mode setting switch 8. The receiving camera is also set to the communication mode reception mode by the mode setting switch 8. On the receiving side, when there are a plurality of cameras, the ID is set for each of them via a monitor screen or the like (not shown).

Therefore, the ID of the transmitting side is transmitted from the transmitting side camera.
The data and the CALL signal are transmitted by infrared. The receiving camera returns the ID of the receiving side and the data of the remaining capacity in the image memory in chronological order from the time of receiving the CALL signal in accordance with the order of the ID data set for itself.
Upon receiving this data, the transmitting camera 10 calculates the number of images that can be received by each receiving camera and displays the number as the transmittable number. Based on this information, the above-described camera selection mode and image selection mode are executed, and a transmission image and a destination camera are selected.

Thereafter, when a transmission command is given by the transmission switch 44, the compressed image data sandwiched by the start code and the end code between the communication start code and the communication end code is selected from the transmitting camera 10. The image is inserted by the amount of the image and transmitted by optical communication. The communication start code includes the ID data of the selected receiving camera. Each receiving camera that has received its own ID stores the received compressed image data in its own image memory, and reflects that storage in the file allocation table. Then, each selected camera returns a reception acknowledgment signal to the transmitting camera in chronological order.

At the time of transmitting the image data, for example, the red-eye prevention lamp 6 or the self-timer lamp 5 of the selected receiving-side camera is blinked to indicate to the operator which camera is receiving the image data. . Alternatively, those lamps blink when a camera is selected in the camera selection mode.

FIG. 11 shows three receiving cameras 20A and 20A.
FIG. 9B is a diagram showing a state in which the receiving camera 20A is selected from among 0B and 20C.
Blinks to indicate that camera 20A is selected.

In the embodiment described above, a case has been described in which images are transferred to a plurality of cameras by optical communication using infrared rays. However, the present invention is not limited to infrared optical communication, but may be communication using another optical medium, and is similarly applicable to a case where the communication is performed by a communication cable.

[0049]

As described above, according to the present invention, when transmitting image data to a plurality of cameras in an electronic still camera, images are selected in excess of the number of images that can be received by the receiving camera. This can prevent the occurrence of image data transmission errors. Also, since the number of images that can be received by all of the plurality of cameras is managed, all of the selected images can be transmitted to all of the selected cameras. Therefore, it is possible to prevent an error from occurring in transmission to some cameras and an error from occurring in transmission of some images.

Further, since it is possible to arbitrarily switch between the camera selection mode and the image selection mode, it is possible to perform more flexible image transfer.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of an electronic still camera according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a state in which one camera is performing optical communication with one camera.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a schematic structure inside the electronic still camera of the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating capacity management of an image memory.

FIG. 5 is a diagram when optical communication is performed with a plurality of receiving cameras.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the configuration of the back side of the electronic still camera according to the embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a control flowchart of the embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a change of a monitor screen 36 in a camera selection mode.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a monitor screen when an image selection mode is set.

FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating transmission of image data between cameras.

FIG. 11 shows three receiving cameras 20A, 20B, and 20C.
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a state in which the receiving camera 20A is selected.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 10 transmitting camera 14 optical communication output 15 optical communication input 20 receiving camera 30 control unit 34 image memory

Claims (10)

[Claims] An electronic camera having an image data memory for recording captured image data and a communication function for transferring the image data to a different camera, the image data being stored in a plurality of cameras on a receiving side before image data transfer. An electronic camera, comprising: a control unit that receives remaining capacity data of a data memory and displays the number of transmittable images corresponding to the remaining capacity for each of the plurality of cameras on the receiving side. 2. The electronic camera according to claim 1, wherein the control unit enables an arbitrary camera to be selected from the plurality of cameras on the receiving side in response to an operation input. 3. The control unit according to claim 2, wherein the control unit enables selection of an image to be transmitted in response to an operation input, and sets a minimum number of the transmittable images corresponding to the selected receiving side camera. An electronic camera which prohibits the selection of images exceeding the limit. 4. The electronic camera according to claim 2, wherein the control unit prohibits selection of a camera on the receiving side where the number of transmittable images is zero. 5. The electronic camera according to claim 2, wherein the control unit transmits a command for activating a display unit for displaying the selection to the selected camera on the receiving side. 6. An electronic camera having an image data memory for recording captured image data and a communication function for transferring the image data to a different camera, the image data being stored in a plurality of receiving cameras prior to image data transfer. An electronic camera, comprising: a control unit that receives remaining capacity data of a data memory and selects a camera having the largest remaining capacity from the remaining capacity. 7. An electronic camera having an image data memory for recording captured image data and a communication function for transferring the image data to a different camera, the image data being stored in a plurality of cameras on a receiving side before the image data transfer. Each of the remaining capacity data in the data memory is received, selection of an image to be transmitted is enabled in response to an operation input, and an image exceeding the number of transmittable images corresponding to the maximum capacity is selected from the received remaining capacity. An electronic camera, comprising: a control unit for prohibiting the operation. 8. An electronic camera having an image data memory for storing captured image data and a communication function for transferring the image data to a different camera, the image data being stored in a plurality of cameras on a receiving side before the image data transfer. Receiving the remaining capacity data of the data memory, enabling selection of a transmission target image in response to an operation input, further enabling selection of an arbitrary camera from the plurality of cameras on the receiving side in response to the operation input, An electronic camera, comprising: a control unit that prohibits selection of a receiving camera corresponding to the remaining capacity data that is less than the data of the selected transmission target image. 9. An electronic camera having an image data memory for storing captured image data and a communication function for transferring the image data to a different camera, the image data being stored in a plurality of cameras on a receiving side before the image data transfer. Receiving the remaining capacity data of the data memory respectively, enabling selection of any camera from the plurality of cameras on the receiving side in response to an operation input, enabling selection of a transmission target image in response to the operation input, Prohibiting the selection of the receiving camera corresponding to the remaining capacity data smaller than the data of the selected transmission target image, and exceeding the minimum number of transmittable images corresponding to the remaining capacity of the selected receiving camera. An electronic camera comprising a control unit for prohibiting an image from being selected. 10. The electronic camera according to claim 9, wherein the control unit enables the selection of the transmission target image and the selection of the reception side camera alternately.