KR19990055057A - Dedicated playback device for digital still cameras - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides a memory card comprising: a memory card for storing an image data file obtained by encoding a target image photographed through photoelectric conversion based on a predetermined image encoding technique and having an input / output means externally to provide access to the image data; And an insertion hole for inserting the memory card on one side of an exterior body, and receives the image data file through an input / output means of the memory card, converts the image data file into a predetermined television output signal standard, and outputs the same through a television receiver of the corresponding standard. It relates to a dedicated playback device of a digital still camera composed of a signal playback device.

According to the present invention, there is an advantage that a user can immediately check a still image captured by a digital still camera with a large-screen television receiver by a simple process of inserting the memory card into the insertion slot.

Description

Dedicated playback device for digital still cameras

The present invention relates to a dedicated playback device for a digital still camera, and more particularly, to a dedicated playback device for a digital still camera for displaying still images photographed through a digital still camera through a television receiver.

Digital still cameras do not require dark processing or chemical processing for development like conventional silver salt film cameras and can immediately check the still images taken. The digital image signal processing technique is applied once the captured image information is digitized and recorded. It is pointed out that the main feature is that the still image can be easily reconstructed.

In addition, if the stored images are stored and stored in a system connected to the network, remote transmission and duplication is possible, and the remote site can be viewed and duplicated through the network. This is concentrated.

On the other hand, when digital still cameras process still images as digital data and store them in memory, they are generally known to be able to compress data with a compression ratio of about 20: 1 without deterioration of image quality. The compression of data through the Joint Photographic Coding Experts Group (JPEG) standard, which is an organization's still image compression standard, is emerging as a new application in the field of image compression.

In particular, with the advent of this new field of application, the JPEG Commission recently adopted medical images, resource exploration images, high-quality digital still camera images, art images, aerial cartographic images, automatic recognition images, etc., which require high resolution. The standardization of the Joint Photographic Coding Experts Group-2000 (JPEG-2000) has been actively carried out under a plan to establish an International Standard (IS) by 2000 for the purpose of application to still images.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a general digital still camera.

A typical digital still camera, as shown in FIG. 1, adjusts a lens unit for condensing incident light, an amount of incident light condensed, and opens and closes an iris and incident light that are opened and closed for a predetermined exposure time as the shutter button is turned on. An optical block unit 10 including a view finder for reflecting and checking a subject; A photoelectric conversion unit 20 including a charge coupled device (CCD) for photoelectric conversion of a 2D optical image collected through the optical block unit 10 into a 1D electric signal and a CCD driving circuit unit for driving the CCD; An electric signal received from the photoelectric converter 20, and an all-signal processor 30 including color separation, black-and-white level correction and gray level conversion circuits; An A / D converter 41 and an International Standard Organization (ISO) which are coupled to the all-signal processing unit 30 to analog-to-digital convert the output of the all-signal processing unit 30. A main signal processor 40 comprising a digital signal processor 42 for compressing / extending data using a standard Joint Photographic Coding Experts Group (JPEG) method; A memory 50 for recording and reproducing image data of an image processed by the main signal processor 40; The user input unit 80 for accessing the memory 50 or for applying user input such as image editing, region selection, operation mode selection, and the like, and the input signal received by the user input unit 80 is analyzed and the main signal processor 40 is analyzed. ; And displaying the outputs of the microprocessor 60 and the A / D converter 41 for the overall processing of the image data of the memory 50 so as to be identified by the user through a display element such as an LCD (Liquid Crystal Device). The display unit 70 is configured to be included.

Here, the user input unit 80 may be configured as a key panel having a plurality of function keys, a track ball, a ball mouse, a joystick, an electronic pen, a touch screen It may also be configured by adopting a well-known graphic input device such as a touch screen and a graphic tablet.

The memory 50 includes a DRAM for storing temporary data generated during processing of image data input through the lens unit, and a flash for storing image data in which a still image of a predetermined subject is compressed in a JPEG method. It consists of a memory card, such as RAM (FLASH RAM), SSFDC (Solid State Floppy Disk Card).

In general, a digital still camera has a structure in which an optical image continuously incident through the optical block unit 10 can be observed through the viewfinder or the display unit 70 when the power is turned on.

At this time, the operator of the digital still camera includes a target object to be captured in the camera's angle of view, focuses on an appropriate position in the screen by the camera's automatic function and the operator's manual operation, and then the shutter speed is set to the preset shutter speed by the shutter operation. As the shutter of the optical block unit 10 is opened and closed for a proportional exposure time, the amount of incident light is accumulated through photoelectric conversion to capture a still image. The target image, which is a still image photographed through the above process, is converted into image data, which is digital data, and data corresponding to a predetermined address of the memory 50 is sequentially stored.

The stored image data is converted into a single and one still image like a film of a general camera by a main signal processing unit 40 according to a Joint Photographic Coding Experts Group (JPEG), which is a compression standard of still images, and the memory 50 Is stored in the memory card.

However, digital still cameras, such as Kodak's high-end model DS-420 (DCS-420), are not limited to adopting a compression scheme as they store image data as they are. For reference, the DCS-420 allocates about 1.5 million pixels (1524 pixels × 1012 pixels) per frame, and can store approximately 68 sheets (105 megabytes) of still images in the built-in memory.

Since a digital still camera supporting a compression mode generally supports a non-compression mode in which a still image is stored without compressing the image data, the still image captured by the non-compression mode is selected. It is well known that can be stored in memory as is.

Subsequently, in order to view still images stored in the memory card of the memory 50, a method of downloading and observing them to a personal computer through a serial communication port or a Personal Computer Memory Card International Association adapter (PCMCIA adapter) and a display unit replied to the digital still camera There is a method of reproducing and observing through 70 or the viewfinder.

However, in the former case, it is inconvenient to require the support of a personal computer on which special software is installed and to interconnect them. In particular, users who are unfamiliar with the computer environment such as a small age group or an old age group are photographed through the personal computer. There is a problem that it is very difficult to observe the image.

In addition, in the latter case, the resolution of an image that can be observed through the display unit 70 or the viewfinder, which is typically provided in a digital still camera, is not only extremely low, but also does not provide satisfactory observation because the screen itself is very small. There is no problem.

Accordingly, the present invention has been made to solve such a problem, and an insertion opening for inserting a memory card is exposed and formed on one side of the exterior body, and after decoding the still image data stored in the memory card to be read in an interlaced scan format. Dedicated playback of digital still cameras that allows users to instantly view still images shot with digital still cameras with a large-screen TV receiver by simply converting them into a standard TV signal and transmitting them to a television receiver. The object is to provide a device.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a playback apparatus for a digital still camera that can reproduce audio data stored in the memory card as an audio output of a television receiver.

1 is a block diagram showing a general digital still camera,

Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing a preferred embodiment of a dedicated playback device for a digital still camera according to the present invention.

<Explanation of symbols for the main parts of the drawings>

100: memory card 200: signal playback device

210: user input unit 220: image decoding unit

230: interlaced reader 240: video encoder

250: File information retrieval unit 260: On-screen display processing unit

270: output file selection unit 280: audio decoding unit

300; TV receiver

In order to achieve the above object, a dedicated playback apparatus of a digital still camera according to the present invention stores an encoded image data file of an object image captured by photoelectric conversion based on a predetermined image encoding technique, and accesses to the image data. A memory card having an input / output means externally to provide a; And an insertion hole for inserting the memory card on one side of an exterior body, and receives the image data file through an input / output means of the memory card, converts the image data file into a predetermined television output signal standard, and outputs the same through a television receiver of the corresponding standard. It is characterized by comprising a signal reproducing apparatus.

Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of a dedicated playback device for a digital still camera according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 2.

Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing a preferred embodiment of a dedicated playback device for a digital still camera according to the present invention.

According to a preferred embodiment of the exclusive playback apparatus for a digital still camera according to the present invention, as shown in FIG. 2, an image data file obtained by encoding a target image photographed through photoelectric conversion based on a predetermined image encoding technique is stored and stored. A memory card 100 having an input / output means externally to provide access to data; And an insertion opening for inserting the memory card 100 on one side of an exterior body, and receives the image data file through an input / output means of the memory card 100 and converts the image data file into a predetermined television output signal standard. And a signal reproducing apparatus 200 output through the television receiver 300 of the apparatus.

Here, the signal reproducing apparatus 200 includes a user input unit 210 for receiving a user input; An image decoding unit (220) for reading the image data file from the memory card (100) according to a user input applied from the user input unit (210) and decoding the image data file according to an image decoding technique corresponding to the predetermined image encoding technique; An interlaced reader 230 for reading and outputting the output of the image decoder 220 in an interlaced scan format; And a video encoder 240 which receives the output of the interlaced reader 230 and converts the output into the predetermined television output signal to output to the television receiver 300 of the corresponding standard.

Here, the signal reproducing apparatus 200 includes a file information retrieval unit 250 for retrieving file information of each of the image data files from the image decoding unit 220; An on-screen display processing unit (260) for selectively on-screen display (OSD) of the file information of the image data file and the user input in accordance with the user input; And an output file selection unit 270 for selecting and outputting a specific image data file from the file information of the on-screen displayed image data file through the user input unit 210.

The signal reproducing apparatus 200 may further include an audio decoding unit 280 for reproducing the audio data file stored in the memory card 100.

The operation of the preferred embodiment of the dedicated playback device for a digital still camera according to the present invention configured as described above will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

First, the memory card 100 stores an encoded image data file of a target image photographed through photoelectric conversion based on a predetermined image encoding technique, and has input / output means externally to provide access to the image data. In this case, it is apparent that the memory card 100 may further include an audio data file.

As described above, the memory card 100 may be configured of any one of a flash RAM, a solid state floppy disk card (SSFDC), and an integrated circuit card memory (IC card memory).

The signal reproducing apparatus 200 has an insertion opening for inserting the memory card 100 on one side of an external body and receives the image data file or the audio data file through an input / output means of the memory card 100. Converted to a predetermined television output signal standard and output through the television receiver 300 of the standard, which will be described in more detail.

When the user input unit 210 of the signal reproducing apparatus 200 is used as a means for receiving a user input, any one of wired and wireless user input means such as a remote controller or a keypad may be used.

When the image decoding unit 220 reads the image data file from the memory card 100 according to a user input applied from the user input unit 210, and decodes the image data file according to the image decoding technique corresponding to the predetermined image encoding technique. The interlaced reading unit 230 reads the output of the image decoding unit 220 in the interlaced scan format and converts the image data in the progressive scan format into the interlaced scan format image data.

Here, the predetermined picture encoding technique and the picture decoding technique are preferably based on a Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG) still picture compression standard.

In this way, the NTSC (National Television Standard Committee) system is the most representative standard for television receivers for converting image data in progressive scan format into image data in interlaced scan format.

Thereafter, the video encoder 240 receives the output of the interlaced reader 230, converts the output of the interlaced reader 230 into the predetermined television output signal, and outputs the converted television signal to the television receiver 300 of the corresponding standard. Accordingly, the image data file obtained through the television receiver 300 through the digital still camera can be provided in a user-friendly environment.

In this case, the file information retrieval unit 250 retrieves the file information for each of the image data files from the image decoding unit 220, and the on-screen display processing unit 260 of the image data file according to the user input On-screen display (OSD) of the file information and the user input is selectively provided to provide a user with file information on the user input and the image data file.

Thereafter, the output file selection unit 270 selects and outputs a specific image data file from the file information of the on-screen displayed image data file through the user input unit 210 to output the signal reproducing apparatus 200 according to the present invention. It provides a useful user interface for outputting image data files.

Meanwhile, when the memory card 100 stores the audio data file, the audio decoding unit 280 reproduces the audio data file according to a corresponding audio decoding technique and acquires the audio data obtained through the digital still camera through the television receiver 300. You can provide the file in a user-friendly environment.

Terminologies used herein are terms defined in consideration of functions in the present invention, which may vary according to the intention or customs of those skilled in the art, and the definitions should be made based on the contents throughout the present application. will be.

In addition, since the present invention has been described through the preferred embodiment of the present invention, in view of the technical difficulty aspects of the present invention, those having ordinary skill in the art can easily be different from another embodiment of the present invention. Since modifications may be made, it is obvious that both the embodiments and modifications cited in the above description belong to the claims of the present invention.

As described in detail above, a memory having an input / output means externally stored therein for storing an encoded image data file based on a predetermined image encoding technique for a target image photographed through photoelectric conversion and providing access to the image data. Card; And an insertion hole for inserting the memory card on one side of an exterior body, and receives the image data file through an input / output means of the memory card, converts the image data file into a predetermined television output signal standard, and outputs the same through a television receiver of the corresponding standard. According to the exclusive playback apparatus of the digital still camera according to the present invention configured as a signal reproducing apparatus, a user can immediately check a still image photographed by the digital still camera with a large-screen TV receiver by a simple process of inserting the memory card into the insertion slot. There is an advantage.

Claims (5)

A memory card for storing the encoded image data file of the target image photographed through photoelectric conversion based on a predetermined image encoding technique and having an input / output means externally for providing access to the image data; And An insertion opening for inserting the memory card is exposed and formed on one side of the exterior body, and receives the image data file through the input / output means of the memory card, converts the image data file into a predetermined television output signal standard, and outputs the same through a television receiver of the corresponding standard. A dedicated playback device for a digital still camera, characterized by comprising a signal playback device. The signal reproducing apparatus of claim 1, A user input unit for receiving a user input; An image decoding unit which reads the image data file from the memory card according to a user input applied from the user input unit and decodes the image data file according to an image decoding technique corresponding to the predetermined image encoding technique; An interlaced reader for reading and outputting the output of the image decoding unit in an interlaced scan format; And And a video encoder which receives the output of the interlaced reading unit and converts the output into the predetermined television output signal and outputs it to a television receiver of the corresponding standard. The signal reproducing apparatus of claim 2, A file information retrieval unit for retrieving file information for each of the image data files from the image decoding unit; An on-screen display processing unit for selectively displaying on-screen display (OSD) of the file information of the image data file and the user input according to the user input; And And an output file selection unit for selecting and outputting a specific image data file from the file information of the on-screen displayed image data file through the user input unit. The method of claim 1, And an audio decoding unit for reproducing the audio data file stored in the memory card. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined picture encoding technique and the picture decoding technique, Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG) A dedicated playback device for digital still cameras, based on still image compression standards.