JPH02222385A - Electronic camera device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To recover picture data according to a recovery instruction even when an initialization instruction is executed by erroneous operation by initializing only the information of a header area when initialization is executed and preserving the information of the header area in a buffer memory. CONSTITUTION:A memory unit 8 having a picture area to record the plural pieces of picture data and the header area to record or read the information such as the number of photographed pictures, picture final address and residual memory capacity is provided. When the initialization is instructed, only the information of the header area are initialized and these information are temporarily stored in a buffer memory 10. When the recovery is instructed, processing is executed to record the information of the buffer memory 10 to the head area. Thus, even if the initialization is operated, the picture data photographed up to the moment can be recovered when an operator notices the erroneous operation.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Object of the Invention] (Industrial Application Field) The present invention relates to an electronic camera device that can record still images using a memory device mounted on a card, for example, as a recording medium.

(Prior Art) Recently, a so-called IC card in which a semiconductor memory is mounted on the card has been developed, and an electronic camera device using this card as a substitute for conventional photographic film is being considered.

This device employs a method of converting an optical image into an electrical signal to obtain image data, and recording this in a memory device of an IC card through a memory interface circuit.

On the other hand, in a conventional photographic device using a base film, once image data is written (transferred) onto the film, the film can be used only once and is disposable. but,
In the electronic camera described above, since the recording medium is a semiconductor memory, it can be reused until its electrical life is exhausted.

Therefore, it was considered to initialize the IC card and reuse it, but the initialization method was a method that erased all the contents. Further, the initialization means is considered as a unit dedicated to initialization.

Therefore, if you mistakenly select and initialize an IC card, you will lose all the image data you have taken.

Furthermore, if the system uses a dedicated unit for initialization, an electronic camera, a playback device, and an initialization unit are required, resulting in an increase in the number of units.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) As mentioned above, in electronic camera systems, IC
If you make the wrong selection when initializing the card, you will not be able to restore the image data even if you notice it midway through.

Therefore, this invention makes it possible to restore the image data that has been taken up to that point even if the initialization operation is performed, and by providing this function in the electronic camera body, the overall uni-software It is an object of the present invention to provide an electronic camera device which can reduce the number of cameras and can be initialized even when there is no remaining memory, thereby giving flexibility to the selection of shooting scenes of the camera.

[Structure of the Invention] (Means for Solving the Problems) The present invention provides image data obtained by one photographing process.
A header that can record or read the image area where multiple image data can be recorded, information on the number of shots taken, the final screen address of the last image data taken and recorded, and information on remaining memory capacity. an electronic camera body having a memory device having a storage area; an electronic camera body having a function of supplying image data corresponding to a photographed video to the memory device and recording and reading information in the header area; a buffer means provided in the electronic camera body for temporarily holding the information on the number of captured images, the final screen address, and information on the remaining memory capacity; and a buffer means provided on the electronic camera body and initialized by an external operation to initialize the contents of the memory device. Initialization instruction means for giving an instruction, and when an initialization instruction signal is input from this initialization instruction means.

header area initialization means for initializing only the header area of the memory device; and restoration instruction means provided in the electronic camera body even if the header area initialization means initializes the header area of the memory device. and restoration processing means for rewriting the information in the buffer means into the header section of the memory device when a restoration instruction signal is input from the memory device.

(Function) With the above means, it is possible to initialize the memory device on the camera side, and if you want to stop the initialization, you can save the recorded data by performing the recovery operation even if the initialization operation is performed. . Since it is equipped on the camera side,
For example, if you are out and want to take a picture of an important scene but don't have a spare IC card, you can freely format and use it.

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

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the features of the invention.

First, the apparatus shown in FIG. 1 will be explained. Light incident through the optical lens 1 is imaged on the imaging surface of the solid-state image sensor 2 . In the solid-state image sensor 2, the optical image is converted into an electrical signal,
It is introduced into the imaging processing circuit 3. The imaging processing circuit 3 formats the imaging signal into an image signal and supplies it to an analog-to-digital (hereinafter referred to as A/D) converter 4. The digital image data obtained here is supplied to the data compression circuit 5. The data compression circuit 5 has a data compression rate (for example, zero,
1/2, 1/4, 1/8, etc.) and supplies the output image data to the memory interface circuit 6. A control signal that determines the compression rate for the data compression circuit 5 is, for example, a central processing unit (hereinafter referred to as C
(denoted as PU) is given from 7. The CPU 7 can perform operations provided in the electronic camera body 100 and exchange data with the display section 200. Therefore, the compression ratio of the data compression circuit 5 can be determined by operating the compression ratio changeover switch on the operation and display section 200.

The image data output from the memory interface circuit 6 is stored in the memory device 8.

The memory device 8 is mounted on, for example, an IC card 300, and can be freely attached to and removed from the electronic camera body 100.

The memory device rI 18 can communicate with the CPU 7 through the memory interface circuit 6.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a memory map of the memory device 8.

The card header area 44 is a part in which data unique to the memory card itself is recorded. Direct area 45
is an area for storing the start address and end address of the area where image data is recorded. The data area 46 is an area where image data is actually recorded.

The header area 44 includes a card number area 44a where the card number is recorded, a residual memory capacity area 44b which is an area where data can be written in the data area 46, and data indicating the number of captured images of the memory card. The data area 46 has an image data final address area 44d in which data of the final use address of image data is recorded in the data area 46.

Further, the data area 46 includes a plurality of one-screen areas 46a, 46a each divided into one screen.

..., and furthermore, one single screen data area 46
a is composed of an image header area 46b and an image data area 46c in which actual image data is recorded.

The image header area 46b includes an information classification area 46d that shows what type of data (for example, video, audio, etc.) is recorded in the image data area 46c of the one-screen data area 46a, and an information classification area 46d that shows what type of data (for example, video, audio, etc.) is recorded in the image data area 46c of the one-screen data area 46a. Data processing method (e.g. NTSC.

A method area 46e indicating whether data is recorded by CCIR, etc.), a screen number area 46f where screen number data is recorded, and an image quality mode area 46g where image quality mode data set by, for example, compression rate is recorded. , a time area 46h where the data of the time of shooting is supplied, a time area 46h where the data of the time of shooting is recorded, and a title area 46 where the data of the recorded title is recorded.
i, etc.

Next, the CPU 7 has a function of storing the image data and its related information in the memory device 8, and a header area 4.
4 and stores this information in the temporary buffer memory 10.
It has the function of storing data in the IC card and the function of initializing the IC card.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart for explaining its characteristic configuration, which will be explained below.

When the electronic camera body 100 is powered on, the ladder area information of the IC card attached to the camera body is read. The information includes at least the number of shots, the final address of the screen, and the remaining memory capacity. These data are read by the CPU 7 and temporarily stored in the buffer memory 10 (steps Sl, S2, S3). next,
The operation and the signal on the display unit 200 are read, and it is determined whether or not an operation to initialize the IC card has been performed (steps S4 and S5).

Here, if an instruction to perform initialization is given, only the information in the header area of the IC card is initialized in step S6. For example, zero data is written through the memory interface circuit 6. What is important here is that only the header area is initialized and the other areas are maintained as they are, and the data in the header area before initialization is stored in the buffer memory 10 of the electronic camera body 100. This is what is being done.

Next, in steps S7 and S8, it is determined whether or not an instruction to perform data restoration is given, that is, whether or not initialization is to be canceled.

If a restoration instruction, that is, an instruction to cancel initialization, is given, in step S9, the buffer memory 10 is
A process is performed to record the information in the ladder area of the IC card. If there is no instruction to restore, it is checked whether photography has started, that is, the shutter has been operated (step 5IO1S11). If there is no instruction to start photographing, the process returns to step S4 and checks for initialization instructions and restoration instructions are performed again. Further, if a photographing instruction is given, photographing operation and processing are started in step S12, and when completed, the process returns to step S3. If a photographing operation is performed under a situation where an initialization instruction has been given, the IC card will be in an initialized state and the contents of the buffer memory 10 will be temporarily erased.

A switch for giving the above instructions is provided in the operation and display section 200 shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 shows the photographing operation and the procedure of processing step S12 in FIG. 2 in more detail. When imaging processing is performed,
+1 is added to the current number of shots (step S
21). Next, the current remaining memory capacity is checked (step 522), and the capacity for one screen is subtracted from the remaining memory capacity (step 823). As a result, a new number of shots and remaining memory capacity can be obtained. Next, the final screen address is checked, and the address length for one screen is added to this (step S24.
25). This allows a new final address to be obtained.

Next, a directory area is detected from the new number of shots, and the final address is written there.

When the final address is found, the image data storage area within the card is confirmed and the image data is stored in that area (steps S26, S27, 82B, 529). Furthermore, other ladder data and header data other than image data are written (step S30.531).
), the imaging operation and processing end.

As described above, according to this embodiment, (1) the IC card initialization function is installed in the electronic camera; As a result, when you do not have a spare IC card and encounter an important scene that you would like to photograph, you can respond immediately.

Furthermore, the IC card can be reused and can be used, for example, by renewing the label, as long as it has an electrical lifespan.

-Furthermore, when initializing, only the information in the header area can be initialized. Furthermore, even if an initialization instruction is given, the information in the header area is not immediately discarded, but can be saved in the buffer memory and restored.

Therefore, even if the initialization instruction is given incorrectly, or even if the initialization instruction is given due to some kind of erroneous operation, the image data may be restored without the same effect by issuing a restoration instruction if the user notices. If initialization is performed, newly captured image data will be written in the area of previously captured image data, and the previous image data will be lost, so very careful operations are required. Therefore, when an initialization instruction is issued, it is preferable to use optical blinking or sound in an easy-to-understand color on the display so that the user notices it immediately.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, in this invention, even if an initialization operation is performed, if you notice it midway through, you can restore the image data that was taken up to that point. The total number of units can be reduced by providing the camera with the camera, and by initializing the camera even when there is no remaining memory, it is possible to provide flexibility in the selection of shooting scenes of the camera.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a flow chart shown to explain the operation of the device of this invention, FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a memory map of an IC card, and FIG. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of the photographing processing procedure of the electronic camera. 1... Optical lens, 2... Solid-state image sensor, 3...
Imaging processing circuit, 4...A/D converter, 5...data compression circuit, 6...memory interface circuit, 7...
- CPU, 8... memory device, 10... buffer memory, 200... operation and display section.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] An image area in which image data for a plurality of images can be recorded, with image data obtained by one image capturing being taken as a unit, information on the number of images to be captured, and image data recorded by the last image capturing. A memory device having a header area in which a final screen address and information on remaining memory capacity can be recorded or read; and image data corresponding to a shot video is supplied to the memory device, and information in the header area is recorded. and a buffer means provided in the electronic camera body to temporarily hold the information on the number of captured images, the final screen address, and the remaining memory capacity; , an initialization instruction means for giving an initialization instruction by external operation in order to initialize the contents of the memory device; and when an initialization instruction signal is input from the initialization instruction means, header area initializing means for initializing only the header area; and even if the header area initializing means initializes the header area of the memory device, a restoration instruction signal is sent from the restoration instruction means provided in the electronic camera body. an electronic camera device, comprising: a restoration processing means for rewriting the information in the buffer means into a header section of the memory device when the information is input.