JPH1051723A - Electronic still camera - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To eliminate the need of the complicated exchange operation of recording media and to record the large quantity of contents at once by selecting a prescribed card among the plural card-like recording media installed on a recording medium installation part, recording of reproducing a video signal in the selected card and transfer-controlling the video signal recorded between the plural cards. SOLUTION: When object light is image-formed on an image pickup element 2, it is photoelectrically converted in the image pickup element 2. The photoelectric conversion output is signal-processed in a process circuit 3 controlled by a control signal from a control circuit 4 as the video signal and is guided to the control circuit 4. A coupling means 5 for transmitting a signal with the IC card 6 being the card-like recording medium is contained in the control circuit 4. The video signal is guided to one IC card 6 selected by an external operation among the IC cards 6 which are overlapped and stored and arranged in a holder part 7 being the recording medium installation part in a camera main body.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to an electronic still camera capable of recording a video signal on a card-like recording medium.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A subject image formed by a photographing lens is converted into an electric signal by a photoelectric conversion element, and the electric signal is sent to a recording medium such as a solid-state memory detachably mounted on a camera body for recording. An electronic still camera has already been proposed (for example, see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 57-17275). In recent years, as a detachable recording medium, a card-shaped recording medium including a semiconductor storage element which is a solid-state memory, that is, an electronic still camera using a so-called IC card has been proposed.

[0003]

By the way, in this type of electronic still camera as well, the recording on one recording medium is completed similarly to the case of the silver halide film camera.
Each time the medium is consumed, it is usually replaced with a new recording medium. That is, it has a surface inevitably complicated by the exchange operation of the recording medium. It is a very common method to store this new unrecorded recording medium in a bag or pocket somewhere other than the camera body and hold it. In addition to the trouble of searching for the medium, there is a possibility that the recording medium may be damaged even when being carried.

[0004] In addition, when copying and distributing a photographed medium, it is necessary to once take it into a reproducing apparatus, store it, and then copy and record it on another card or the like, which is troublesome.

[0005] It is an object of the present invention to provide an electronic still camera which can solve such operational problems and is easy to use.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An electronic still camera according to the present invention is an electronic still camera for recording a video signal on a card-shaped recording medium, comprising: a recording medium mounting portion capable of loading a plurality of card-shaped recording media; A means for selecting a predetermined card or a plurality of predetermined cards from the card-shaped recording medium loaded in the recording medium mounting portion; a means for recording or reproducing a video signal on the selected card; Means for controlling the transfer of the recorded video signal between a plurality of cards; and means for recording the same video signal on a plurality of card-shaped recording media loaded therein substantially simultaneously. It is characterized by having done.

Therefore, in the electronic still camera according to the present invention, a plurality of card-shaped recording media are loaded in the recording-medium mounting portion, and a predetermined card or a predetermined card among the plurality of card-shaped recording media loaded in the recording-medium mounting portion is provided. The plurality of cards are selected by the selection means, the video signal is recorded or reproduced on the selected card by the recording or reproduction means, and the video recorded between the plurality of selected cards is selected by the transfer control means. Controls signal transfer. This electronic still camera records the same video signal on a plurality of card-shaped recording media loaded at substantially the same time.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS First, an outline of an electronic still camera to which the present invention is applied will be described with reference to a block diagram shown in FIG. When the subject light that has passed through each lens group of the taking lens barrel 1 is imaged on the imaging device 2, it is photoelectrically converted by the imaging device 2, and the photoelectric conversion output is controlled by a control signal from the control circuit 4. The processed signal is processed as a video signal by the process circuit 3 and guided to the control circuit 4. The control circuit 4 includes coupling means 5 for transmitting a signal to and from an IC card 6 which is a card-shaped recording medium. A video signal is guided and recorded to one IC card 6 selected by an external operation or the like among the IC cards 6 housed and arranged therein.

The coupling means 5 is provided between one end face of the IC card 6, which is always exposed even when a plurality of IC cards 6 are superposed, and the control circuit 4 of the camera. The control circuit 4 includes means for transferring a recording signal between the plurality of IC cards 6 and a plurality of IC cards 6.
May be provided with means for simultaneously recording.

Although the other end face of the plurality of IC cards 6 in a state of being overlapped is always exposed, the information about the recording condition is displayed on this end face, though not shown in FIG. Display means can be provided.

Next, the first embodiment of the present invention will be specifically described. IC card 10 shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B
Is a card-shaped recording medium having a rectangular parallelepiped shape of, for example, 54 × 86 × 5 mm, having a power backup function, and including a volatile memory element. This I
On one end face 10a of the C card 10, a plurality of pairs of light emitting elements 11 and light receiving elements 12 are arranged alternately in a line along the longitudinal direction. This plurality of pairs of light emitting elements 11
The light receiving element 12 corresponds to the coupling means 5 in FIG.

On the other end face 10b, a liquid crystal display section 13 covered with a transparent cover 14 is provided at a central portion thereof. The liquid crystal display unit 13 is for displaying the storage capacity of the IC card 10. The display elements of the liquid crystal display unit 13 are arranged along the longitudinal direction of the end face of the IC card 10, and the stored portion is black. Displayed and unmemorized portions remain colorless. Note that the liquid crystal display section 13 can be sufficiently arranged on the end face if the thickness of the IC card 10 is 2 mm or more. It is further preferable that the memory function of the liquid crystal display of the IC card 10 be held even without power supply.

The IC card 10 is used by being mounted on an electronic still camera shown in FIGS. The electronic still camera shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 is of a single-lens reflex type.
A pentaprism portion 23 having a finder window 22 at the center is provided on the upper surface, and a liquid crystal display 24 for displaying a photographing mode and the like and an instruction button for switching the mode and the like are provided on one side thereof. 25 and a shift button 26 are provided.

The other side of the camera main body 20, that is, the main body on the right side as viewed from the user side, has a card holding portion 20a as a recording medium mounting portion having a front surface and an upper surface protruding and easily gripped. A card storage chamber 27 for storing a plurality of IC cards 10 is formed therein. A portion projecting from the upper surface of the camera body 20 forms a lid 28 of the card storage chamber 27, and can be opened at a position 28A indicated by a two-dot chain line in FIG. I have. A transparent window 28a is formed at the center of the upper surface of the lid 28. In this card storage room 27, at least one to six IC cards 10 can be stored, and the liquid crystal display units 13 are stacked and stored with their end faces facing upward (5 in the figure). IC cards 10 are stored).

Since the liquid crystal display units 13 of the plurality of IC cards 10 stored in the card storage room 27 face the transparent window 28a of the lid 28, the user can pass through the transparent window 28a. The liquid crystal display units 13 of the plurality of IC cards 10 stored in the card storage room 27 can be seen. On one side of the card storage chamber 27, a slide plate 34 urged in the horizontal direction by a feed spring 33 as shown by an arrow a is provided. Are pressed against the other side surface in a state where they are in close contact with each other without any gap. On the other side surface, a projection 35 for position regulation is formed.

A connector board 30 is arranged on the bottom of the card storage room 27. On this connector board 30, a light emitting element 31 and a light receiving element 32
The light receiving elements 12 and the light emitting elements 11 are alternately arranged in each row so that a total of six rows are provided.
In a state where only five IC cards 10 are stored as shown in the figure, the light emitting elements 31 and the light receiving elements 32 in the five rows from the other side face are connected to the light receiving elements 12 of the IC card 10.
And the light emitting element 11. Signals are transmitted and received between the five IC cards 10 and the camera body 20 in a non-contact manner by optical transmission. The non-contact signal transmission configuration does not require any force when the IC card 10 is inserted into and removed from the camera body 20.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a control circuit provided in the electronic still camera. FIG. 5 shows a case where three IC cards 10 (hereinafter, these three IC cards 10 are distinguished as cards 10A, 10B, and 10C) are used for simplicity of description. 6
The same applies to the number of sheets or other numbers. CPU (Central Processing Unit) 4 corresponding to control circuit 4 in FIG.
0 is configured to include an addressing unit 41, an input controller 42, and switches 43, 44, and 45 as main functions.

Now, according to the mode selected by the shift button 26, it is displayed on the liquid crystal display 24, the mode is determined by the instruction button 25, and the address designator 41 and the input controller 42
When the screen designating signal is input to the controller, addressing signals ADA, ADB, and ADC are guided from the addressing device 41 to the cards 10A, 10B, and 10C, respectively, and are respectively sent from the input controller 42 to the switches 43, 44, and 45. Input selection signals SA, SB, and SC are led. Switches 43, 4
When the input selection signals SA, SB and SC are introduced, the switches 45 and 45 respectively switch the connection of the movable contact piece to one of the four contacts S1 to S4.

The switches 43, 44, and 45 are operated by the input selection signals SA, SB, and SC as shown in FIG.
, The output signal of the process circuit 3 is I
Input is performed for the C cards 10A, 10B, and 10C. Further, the switching signal from the input / output mode switch 46 and the input selection signals SA, SB, SC, for example, cause I
The output signal from the C card 10A is applied to the contact S of the switch 44.
3 to the IC card 10B, or the output signal from the IC card 10B to both the IC cards 10A and 10C via the contact S2 of the switch 43 and the contact S4 of the switch 45, respectively. It is possible.

As described above, since the camera body has a function of transferring the recorded contents between the plurality of IC cards 10, the recorded contents can be divided for each purpose by the IC card, and the recording contents of the IC card 10 can be divided. There are advantages such as not having to create an empty space. Moreover, a plurality of IC cards 10
Since it includes a function of recording the same image at the same time, it can be used very effectively, for example, when it is necessary to distribute an IC card having the same contents to a plurality of people.

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. The IC card 50 shown in FIG.
A thinner card-shaped recording medium, the shape of which is substantially rectangular, and a contact group 51 made of conductive foil is provided at a tip portion along one short side on one surface, and the other short side is provided. At the position where the two long sides are opposed to each other, a notch 5
0a is formed.

The IC card 50 is used by being loaded into the electronic still camera shown in FIG.

This electronic still camera is of a single-lens reflex type or a compact camera type, and a photographing lens barrel 61 is provided on the front side of a camera body 60.
On the back side, a card holding portion 62 is provided as a recording medium mounting portion protruding rearward from a central portion of the main body. A lid 63 is provided on a right portion of the card holding portion 62, and a hinge 64 is used as a fulcrum. 7 can be opened to a position 63A indicated by a two-dot chain line.

In the card holding section 62, a card storage chamber 65 is provided.
Are formed. Control plate 65a of card storage room 65
And the regulating portion 63a at the tip of the lid 63, the IC
In the state where a plurality of cards 50 are stacked,
0 is arranged and mounted in parallel with the direction orthogonal to the lens optical axis. Each I in the superimposed loaded state
The C card 50 is arranged with the contact group 51 facing the left rear surface in FIG. Therefore, the notch 50a is located at the upper and lower positions on the right side of the card storage chamber 65.

A feed spring 6 is provided at the front of the card storage chamber 65.
A slide plate 67 urged rearward by 6 is provided, and the plurality of IC cards 50 are urged rearward by the slide plate 67 in a state in which the IC cards 50 are in close contact with each other without any gap. . The portion of the slide plate 67 on the side of the lid 63 is shaped so as to be easily guided when the IC card 50 is inserted.

A receiving portion 68 protruding forward from the inner wall of the rear plate of the card holding portion 62 on the left and a card holding portion 62 on the right.
An engaging portion 69 protruding from the upper and lower inner walls is formed,
The plurality of IC cards 50 urged rearward by the receiving portion 68 and the locking portion 69 are regulated to the loading position.

As shown in FIG. 8, the receiving portion 68 is formed continuously in the vertical direction, and the locking portions 69 are formed separately in the upper and lower directions. That is, the leading end of each locking portion 69 is located at the notch 5 on the rear surface of the IC card 50 at the rearmost position.
It is in contact with the upper and lower ends on the right side of 0a. The locking portion 69 is located between the receiving portion 68 and the space where the recorded IC card 50 is to be arranged, as described later. The locking portion 69 is provided with the notch 50 of the IC card 50 after the recording of the IC card 50 is completed.
a, so that its cross-sectional shape is
0a is formed slightly smaller than the area.

A contact board 70 is provided on the left side of the receiving portion 68, and a contact spring group 71 is provided on the board 70. The contact spring group 71 is located at the rearmost position of the IC.
It is in elastic contact with the contact group 51 of the card 50. Therefore, only the IC card 50 at the rearmost position is connected to the electric circuit in the camera body 60, so that signals and power are exchanged between them. In the vicinity of the contact spring group 71, a lever 73 that rotates around a support shaft 72 is provided.

The upper end of the lever 73 has the camera body 6.
The arrow d indicates an operation member (not shown) provided outside the IC card 0 or an excited solenoid member (not shown) which detects that all recording on one IC card 50 is completed as described later. 8 to rotate counterclockwise in FIG. Since the lower end of the lever 73 comes into contact with the left end surface of the last IC card 50, when the lever 73 rotates counterclockwise, the last IC card 50 points to the arrow. It is designed to be pushed in the direction c.

Here, when the recording of all the storage capacity of the IC card 50 at the rearmost position in the loaded state is completed, the lever 73 is rotated by the operating member or the solenoid member by turning the IC card 50. Move in the direction of arrow c. IC card 50 has arrow c
In the first direction, the receiving portion 68 and the locking portion 6
9, when the end on the side having the contact group 51 passes through the position of the receiving portion 68 and is not regulated by the receiving portion 68, the position of the notch 50a is Reached,
The IC card 50 reaches a position 50A indicated by a two-dot chain line. Then, the locking portion 69 fits into the notch 50a, so that the IC
The card 50 is once held by the locking portion 69, and then detaches from the locking portion 69 and moves to the space at the recorded position.

When this one IC card 50 moves to the recorded position, the next IC card 50 following the moved IC card 50 is located at the rearmost position in the loaded state, and the contact group 51 is moved to the above-mentioned position. The state comes into contact with the contact spring group 71. In this way, the IC cards 50 at the loading position are sequentially shifted to the recorded position after the recording for all the storage capacities is completed, so that all the IC cards 50 at the loading position are recorded. After that, the lid 63 can be opened and replaced with a new unstored IC card 50.

In the case of the IC card 50 according to the second embodiment, the electrical contacts 5
Instead of 1, coupling means using photoelectric conversion means similar to the light emitting element 11 and the light receiving element 12 of the IC card 10 may be provided. Needless to say, in this case, the camera body 60 also needs to be provided with coupling means by photoelectric conversion means instead of the contact spring group 71.

[0033]

As described above, according to the present invention, a large amount of contents can be recorded at one time without complicated exchange operations of the recording medium. In addition, since it has a function of transferring recorded contents between a plurality of IC cards, there are advantages that the recorded contents can be divided according to purpose for each IC card, and that there is no need to create an empty recording space on the IC card. .
In addition, since a function of simultaneously recording the same image on a plurality of IC cards is included, for example, IC
This is very advantageous when you need to deal cards.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an electronic still camera to which the present invention is applied.

FIGS. 2A and 2B are perspective views of the IC card used in the camera of FIG. 3 as viewed from one end and the other end,

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the electronic still camera according to the first embodiment of the present invention,

FIG. 4 is a cutaway front view of an essential part of the electronic still camera of FIG. 3,

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a control circuit configured in the main body of the electronic still camera in FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an IC card used in the camera of FIG. 7,

FIG. 7 is a plan view in which main parts of an electronic still camera according to a second embodiment of the present invention are cut away.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along line XX in FIG. 7;

[Explanation of symbols]

4 Control circuit (means for selecting a card, means for recording or reproducing a video signal, means for controlling transfer of a video signal) 5 ... coupling means 6 ... IC card (storage medium) 7 ... holder section (storage medium mounting section) )

Continuation of front page (72) Inventor Kenichi Ouegami 2-43-2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Inside Olympus Optical Co., Ltd.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An electronic still camera for recording a video signal on a card-shaped recording medium, comprising: a recording medium mounting portion capable of loading a plurality of card-shaped recording media; and a card-shaped recording device mounted on the recording medium mounting portion. Means for selecting a predetermined card or a plurality of predetermined cards from the medium; means for recording or reproducing a video signal with respect to the selected card; and a video signal recorded between the selected plurality of cards. An electronic still camera, comprising: means for controlling the transfer of the electronic still camera. 2. The electronic still camera according to claim 1, further comprising means for recording the same video signal on a plurality of card-shaped recording media loaded at substantially the same time.