JPH11146315A - Still image pickup device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To easily obtain an image signal corresponding to an image including a decorated frame and synthesized as a specified image by synthesizing a still image and a frame image signal and recording the synthesized signal as a signal to indicate the specified image. SOLUTION: A still image pickup device is provided with a pattern generator 33 to be a frame signal generation circuit to generate a frame image signal to indicate a decorated frame based on photographing frame data to be supplied from a photographing frame data block 32. A photographing frame data block 32 being the frame image signal is transmitted to a mixer 35 by the pattern generator 33. Video data 42 outputted from a video processing circuit 23, converted into a digital signal by a digital processing block 34 and photographing frame data 41 generated by the photographing frame data block 32 and the pattern generator 33 are synthesized by an image synthesizing block 40 and stored in a video data area 37 of a main memory 36. Then, the synthesized and stored data become video data to indicate one image including the decorated frame as well.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a still image pickup apparatus for recording a still image using an image pickup means such as a so-called solid state image pickup device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a so-called solid-state image sensor (CCD)
There has been proposed a still image pickup apparatus for recording a still image using an image pickup means such as the one described above. In this still image pickup device, an image pickup lens is provided, an image formed by the image pickup lens is picked up by a solid-state image pickup device, and a still image signal is output from the solid-state image pickup device. The still image signal is recorded in a recording unit on a recording medium such as a semiconductor memory or a magnetic disk or a magneto-optical disk.

[0003]

By the way, for a still image obtained by the above-described still image pickup apparatus,
A decorative frame may be added. Such decorative frames,
The image signal of the still image obtained by the still image pickup device is taken into a computer for image processing, and the image processing by this computer synthesizes a frame image signal indicating a decorative frame with the image signal, thereby obtaining the still image. Attached to the image.

[0004] That is, the addition of the decorative frame is performed by an ex post image processing operation separate from the imaging operation, and requires a large-sized image processing device or the like.

Therefore, the present invention has been proposed in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and has a small and lightweight device configuration.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a still image capturing apparatus capable of obtaining an image signal in which a decorative frame is easily added to a still image obtained by an image capturing operation.

[0006]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a still image pickup apparatus according to the present invention comprises an image pickup means for picking up an image formed by an image pickup lens, and a decorative frame for the image formed by the image pickup lens. A frame signal generating circuit for generating a frame image signal corresponding to the above, a recording unit for recording a still image signal output from the imaging unit and a frame image signal generated by the frame signal generation circuit on a recording medium, and these imaging units , A control unit that controls the frame signal generation circuit and the recording unit, and a display unit that displays an image corresponding to the image signal. The control unit combines the still image signal and the frame image signal to generate one image. Is recorded by the recording means as a signal representing

Therefore, in this still image pickup apparatus, it is possible to easily obtain an image signal corresponding to an image synthesized as one image including the decorative frame.

[0008]

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

A still image pickup apparatus according to the present invention has an outer housing 2 as shown in FIG. A photographing button 3, an imaging lens 4, a light emitting unit 5 of a flash lighting device, and the like are arranged on an outer portion on the front side of the outer housing 2. Also, as shown in FIG. 2, on the outer portion on the rear side of the outer casing 2,
A display unit 11, an operation unit 16, and the like serving as display means are provided. Further, a hinge 7 is provided on a side surface of the outer housing 2.
A recording medium insertion opening 14 is provided, which can be opened and closed by a lid 7 rotatably attached to the outer housing 2 via a. From this recording medium insertion port 14, a disk cartridge 8 such as a so-called floppy disk serving as a recording medium is inserted. The disk cartridge 8 is mounted on a recording medium mounting portion in the outer housing 2. The lid 7 has engaged portions 13, 13, and the engagement claws 12, 12 provided on the outer housing 2 are engaged with the engaged portions 13, 13 to close the lid 7. It is kept in the lid state. The engaging claws 12 are moved by the sliding operation of a slider knob 15 provided on the rear surface of the outer housing 2.
The moving operation is performed in a direction to release the engagement with the members 3 and 13. That is, the lid 7 can be opened by sliding the slider knob 15.

The disk cartridge 8 is configured such that a recording disk 9 such as a magnetic disk is rotatably housed in a thin housing-like cartridge. One main surface of the cartridge is provided with a chucking opening for allowing a hub 9a attached to the center of the recording disk 9 to face outward. Further, recording / reproducing openings 10a, 10a for allowing a part of the signal recording surface of the recording disk 9 to face outward are formed on both main surfaces of the cartridge.
a is formed. These recording / reproducing openings 10a,
The shutter 10a can be opened and closed by a shutter plate 10 slidably mounted on the cartridge.

The disk cartridge 8 is not limited to a disk cartridge containing a magnetic disk, but may be of a variety of types capable of writing and reading information signals, such as a magneto-optical disk, a so-called phase-change type recording disk. It is possible to use a disk in which a recording disk is housed in a cartridge. In this embodiment, a case where a floppy disk is used as the disk cartridge 8 will be described.

In the outer housing 2, as shown in FIG. 3, an image of a subject formed by the image pickup lens 4 is picked up by a CCD camera section 21 having a solid-state image pickup device serving as an image pickup means. The imaging signal output from the CCD camera unit 21 is converted into, for example, a 10-bit digital signal and sent to the video processing circuit 23. Video processing circuit 2
3 processes the transmitted digital signal, converts the digital signal into video data including an 8-bit luminance signal Y and a 4-bit color difference signal C, and sends the video data to the video display data block 26. The display unit 11 is connected to the video display data block 26 via a mixer 35.

The image display data block 26 generates three primary color signals R, G, and B based on the transmitted image signals, and sends them to the display unit 11 via the mixer 35. As the display unit 11, a cathode ray tube (CRT) can be used in addition to a liquid crystal display panel (LCD panel). As described above, in a state where an image based on the video data output from the video processing circuit 23 is displayed on the display unit 11, an image of a subject that is currently being captured by the imaging lens 4 is displayed on the display unit 11. That is, this display unit 11
It will play the role of a finder.

On the other hand, the still image pickup apparatus has a pattern generator 33 which is a frame signal generating circuit for generating a frame image signal indicating a decorative frame based on the photographing frame data supplied from the photographing frame data block 32. I have. The pattern generator 33 sends frame photographing display data 34 that is a frame image signal to the mixer 35. The photographing frame data block 32 has a plurality of photographing frame data corresponding to a plurality of types of decorative frames, and supplies one photographing frame data to the pattern generator 33 selectively from the photographing frame data.

The mixer 35 mixes and combines the video data sent from the video display data block 26 with the frame photographing display data, and sends it to the display unit 11. That is, in this state, the display unit 11 displays the image of the subject currently being captured by the imaging lens 4 with the decorative frame added thereto.

In this still image pickup apparatus, as shown in FIG. 4, a main memory 36 is provided, and a storage area of the main memory 36 is divided into a video data storage area 37, a photographing frame data area 38, and a video data management area. The region 39 can be divided into three regions. In this case, in the main memory 36, the signal obtained by mixing and synthesizing the video data and the frame photographing display data is stored in the main memory 3
6 video data areas 37. The shooting frame data area 38 can store shooting frame data supplied to the pattern generator 33.

That is, as shown in FIG. 5, the video data 42 output from the video processing circuit 23 and converted into a digital signal by the digital processing block 34, and the frame shooting data generated by the shooting frame data block 32 and the pattern generator 33. Reference numeral 41 denotes a video data area 37 of the main memory 36 which is synthesized by the image synthesis block 40.
Is stored. The data synthesized and stored in this manner is video data indicating one image including the decoration frame.

In this still image pickup apparatus, when the photographing button 3 is pressed, an operation signal indicating that the photographing button 3 is pressed is sent to a microcomputer (not shown) serving as a control unit. The operation unit 16 is also connected to the microcomputer. When a switch constituting the operation unit 16 is operated, an operation signal indicating that the operation unit 16 has been operated is sent to the microcomputer. The microcomputer is, for example, a RISC (Reduced Instruction) capable of high-speed processing.
n Set Computer: A reduced instruction set computer type is used. This microcomputer includes a read-only memory in which a software program for controlling each circuit block is stored. The microcomputer executes an operation according to a software program stored in a read-only memory based on an operation signal transmitted from the photographing button 3 or the operation unit 16.

In the still image pickup apparatus 1, when the image pickup button 3 is pressed, an image pickup operation is executed. That is, when the imaging button 3 is pressed, the video data output from the video processing circuit 23 is sent to the image synthesis block 40. Then, the video data is combined with the frame photographing data and stored in the video data area 37 of the main memory 36.

The microcomputer converts the video data synthesized with the frame photographing data into an MS-DOS compatible with a so-called PC / AT compatible personal computer.
(Microsoft Disc Operating System: registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation) format. The microcomputer records the data converted into the MS-DOS format on the main memory 36 or the recording disk 9 of the disk cartridge 8 mounted on the still image pickup device 1.

The data converted into the MS-DOS format in this manner can be sent to an external device in accordance with a data communication standard such as the “RS232C” standard or the “IrDA” standard. Various external devices that have received video data by data communication conforming to such a data communication standard do not perform any signal processing because the video data includes frame shooting data already synthesized. Thus, video data corresponding to a still image to which a decorative frame has been added can be obtained.

In the still image pickup apparatus 1, the main frame 36 including the photographing frame data block 32 or the photographing frame data area 38 may be a removable information storage medium such as a so-called memory card or memory module. it can. In this case, a new type of shooting frame data can be used by exchanging the shooting frame data block 32 or the main memory 36.

Further, the photographing frame data is transmitted in accordance with the “RS232C” standard or “IrD
A data frame according to the data communication standard such as the "A" standard, the shooting frame data block 32 in the still image
Alternatively, it can be sent to the main memory 36.

Further, the video data synthesized with the frame photographing data is one piece of video data already including the frame photographing data. Therefore, even a small printer can easily produce a print image or a print image. . In this printer device, printing and printing can be performed on the surface of a so-called seal print in which an adhesive is applied to the back surface and a release paper is adhered on the adhesive layer.

[0025]

As described above, in the still image pickup apparatus according to the present invention, the image pickup means for picking up the image formed by the image pickup lens, and the frame image signal corresponding to the decorative frame for the image formed by the image pickup lens. , A frame signal generating circuit for generating the frame signal, a recording unit for recording the still image signal output from the image capturing unit and the frame image signal generated by the frame signal generating circuit on a recording medium, these image capturing unit, the frame signal generating circuit, and A control unit that controls the recording unit; and a display unit that displays an image corresponding to the image signal. The control unit combines the still image signal and the frame image signal to record the signal as a signal representing one image. The recording is performed by using

Therefore, in this still image pickup device, an image signal corresponding to an image synthesized as one image including the decorative frame can be easily obtained.

That is, the present invention has a small and lightweight device configuration, and is capable of obtaining an image signal in which a decorative frame is easily added to a still image obtained by an imaging operation. It is possible to provide an imaging device.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of the front side of a still image pickup apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an appearance of a rear side of the still image pickup device.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of the still image capturing apparatus.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a main memory which is a main part of the still image pickup device.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a main part including a main memory in the still image capturing apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

Reference Signs List 1 still image pickup device, 4 image pickup lens, 9 recording disk, 11 display unit, 21 CCD camera, 32 shooting frame data, 33 pattern generator

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An imaging lens, imaging means for imaging an image formed by the imaging lens, a frame signal generation circuit for generating a frame image signal corresponding to a decorative frame for the image formed by the imaging lens, and the imaging Recording means for recording the still image signal output from the means and the frame image signal generated by the frame signal generation circuit on a recording medium; and a control unit for controlling the imaging means, the frame signal generation circuit, and the recording means. A display unit controlled by the control unit to display an image corresponding to an image signal, wherein the control unit combines the still image signal and the frame image signal to record the signal as a signal representing one image A still image pickup apparatus characterized by recording by a means. 2. The frame signal generation circuit can generate a plurality of types of frame image signals corresponding to a plurality of types of different decorative frames, and selectively outputs one of the plurality of types of different decorative frames. 2. The still image pickup device according to claim 1, wherein a frame image signal is generated. 3. The still image pickup apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the frame signal generation circuit generates a plurality of types of frame image signals based on information stored in a removable information storage medium.