GB2234647A

GB2234647A - Still video input to personal computer with standard interface

Info

Publication number: GB2234647A
Application number: GB9011384A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Nobuya Sakai
Original assignee: Asahi Kogaku Kogyo Co Ltd
Current assignee: Pentax Corp
Priority date: 1989-05-25
Filing date: 1990-05-22
Publication date: 1991-02-06
Anticipated expiration: 2010-05-22
Also published as: DE4016962C2; GB9011384D0; GB2234647B; FR2647614A1; FR2647614B1; DE4016962A1

Abstract

To transmit a video signal corresponding to a still picture from a source 111, such as a still camera or a video recorder, to an image processor, such as a personal computer 63 or facsimile device, having an interface which is not compatible with the video signal, the normal source output is adapted either internally or by way of an external adapter 161 so as to provide a compatible signal. The employment of a special computer with an image interface is thus avoided. <IMAGE>

Description

STILL VIDEO APPARATUS

BACKGROUND OF TEE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a still video apparatus, such as a still video camera (electronic still camera) in which picture signals of taken pictures or play-back pictures can be directly input to an image processing apparatus, such as a personal computer.

2. Description of Related Art

There are various known still video cameras in which pictures (images, or graphics) are recorded as electrical signals and various known still video play-back devices in which pictures taken (recorded) by a still video camera are displayed or printed. The term "still video apparatus" which will be referred to hereinafter includes both the still video camera and the still video play-back device.

In a recent computer, particularly in a personal computer, not only information of numerical values and letters, but also picture information can be processed. Picture information, for example, image data read by an image scanner is input to a personal computer through a communicating interface provided in the personal computer. The communicating interface used is usually standardized (e.g. RS-232C or SCSI, etc.).

However, the standard (criterion) of picture outputs in a still video apparatus is not identical to the standard of the communicating interface mentioned above. Therefore, in order to input the recorded picture of the still video apparatus into a personal computer as image data, it is necessary to provide an image data communicating interface in the personal computer. However, since the image data communicating interface provided in the personal computer includes a signal processing circuit in addition to a similar signal processing circuit provided in the still video apparatus, tile circuit arrangement becomes complicated as a whole, so that the number of -2signal processing steps is increased, resulting in deteriorated image signals.

SUMMARY OF TEE INVENTION

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a still video apparatus having an image input/output device in which the recorded image signals can be directly input to an image processing device, such as a personal computer, which has no image signal communicating interface.

To achieve the object mentioned above, according to the present invention, there is provided a still video apparatus having image signal output means for outputting an electrical image signal, comprising a signal converting means for converting the image signal to an image data signal which can be processed by an external image processing device, and an interface which outputs the image data signal to the external image processing device.

is With this arrangement, the electrical image signal recorded in the still video apparatus can be input to an image processing device, such as a personal computer having no special interface for the image signal as image data.

In case of a still video apparatus having a recording function and a play-back function, the apparatus comprises an interface which receives and transmits an image data signal from and to an external image processing device. and a signal converting means for converting the image signal which is read by the play-back means to the image data signal or converting the image data signal input from the interface to an image signal which can be 2s recorded on the recording medium.

With this arrangement, the image data processed by the personal computer can be recorded in the still video apparatus.

The invention is also applied to a still video camera. Namely, another object of the present invention is to provide a compact still video camera in which the taken picture can be input to the image processing circuit having no image interface.

To achieve the object mentioned above, according to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a still video camera comprising a camera body which comprises an imaging means for converting an image of an object to be taken to an electrical Image signal, a recording means for recording the image signal on a recording medium and a play-back means for reading the image signal recorded on the recording medium, and an adaptor which is detachably mounted to the camera body and which comprises a signal converting means for converting the image signal read from the recording medium by the play-back means to an image data signal which can be processed by an external image processing device and an interface which outputs the image data signal to the external image processing device.

With this construction, when the adaptor is detached from the camera body, a picture can be taken by a compact still video camera without the adaptor, similar to a conventional still video camera. When the adaptor is mounted to the camera body, the picture taken by the camera can be input to the image processing device, such as a personal computer having no image interface, as image data.

Preferably, the camera body has an external output terminal from which the image signal is output and the adaptor has an image input terminal which can be connected to the output terminal of the camera body.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF 111E DRAWINGS

The invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a block diagram of a first embodiment of a still video apparatus according to the present invention; Fig. 2 is a block diagram of a second embodiment of a still video apparatus according to the present invention; Fig. 3 is a block diagram of a third embodiment of a still video apparatus according to the present invention; c Fig. 4 is a schematic view of a still video apparatus, a monitor TV and a personal computer, connected to each other, according to the present invention; Fig. 5 is a block diagram of an embodiment of a still video camera to which the present invention is applied; Fig. 6 is a schematic perspective view of a still video camera shown in Fig. 5; and, Fig. 7 is a schematic perspective view of a still video camera and a personal computer connected thereto, according to the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Figure 1 shows an example of a control circuit of a still video apparatus 10 having an image signal Input device according to the present invention.

A video signal consisting of a luminance signal and a color signal, etc. is input from, for example, a still video camera (CCD imaging device) etc. to a picture input terminal 11 of the still video apparatus 10. The video signal input from the picture input terminal 11 is processed to be split into a luminance signal and a color signal in an image signal processing circuit 13, is FM-modulated by an FM-modulation circuit 15, is amplified by a recording amplifier 17, and is then supplied to a magnetic head 21 through a selecting switch 19. The processed signal is recorded on a predetermined track of a magnetic recording disc 23 as a recording medium by the magnetic head 21. The image signal processing circuit 13, the FMmodulation circuit 15, the recording amplifier 17 and the magnetic head 21 constitute a picture signal recording device.

The magnetic disc 23 is rotated at a constant speed by a servo-motor 25 which is driven by a servo-circuit 27. The servo-circuit 27 controls the rotational speed of the servo-motor 25 and the tracking of the magnetic head 21, in accordance with pulse signals issued from a PG coil 29.

The operation of the picture signal processing circuit 13, the switching operation of the selecting switch 19, and the motor control and the tracking control of the servo-circult 27 are effected by a system controller 31. The system controller 31 Is usually comprised of a microcomputer which generally controls the operations of the components or devices of the still video apparatus, in accordance with the program stored in the internal ROM incorporated in the microcomputer.

The picture signal recorded in the magnetic disc 23 is read by the magnetic head 21 and is then output to the play-back amplifier 33 through the selecting switch 19. The picture signal consisting of a luminance signal and a color signal, amplified by the play-back amplifier 33 is demodulated by an FM-demodulation circuit 35, and Is then processed to be. a video signal by an image signal processing circuit 37. The video signal is supplied to an image output terminal 39. Thus, when an image input terminal of a monitor TV 61 is connected to the image output terminal 39, the picture (image) can be seen in the monitor TV 61 (Fig. 4). The magnetic head 21, the play-back amplifier 33, the FM-demodulation circuit 35 and the image signal processing circuit 37 constitute a play-back device.

An operating portion 41 has various switches (not shown) which are connected to the system controller to actuate the commencement and the A completion of the record and the play-back of the still video apparatus. displaying portion 43 indicates various functions of the still video apparatus, such as "ON RECORDING", "ON PLAY-BAW', or the recording track or the play-back track, etc. The indication is controlled by the system controller 31.

The construction mentioned above is similar to that in the conventional still video apparatus. The following discussion will be directed to tile interface which constitutes one of the most significant features of the present invention.

To the output of the FM-demodulation circuit 35 is connected an A/D converter 45 which converts the analogue luminance signal and the analogue color signal output from the FM-demodulation circuit 35 to digital luminance signal and digital color signal and outputs the digital signals to the RAM 47 as a buffer through a data bus. The luminance and color signals for one picture plane are.successively written in the RAM 47 for each unit of pixel.

Upon completion of writing of the picture signals for one picture plane into the RAM 47, the written luminance and color signals are processed to be digital image signals which can be output to the personal computer, by a digital signal processing circuit 53. The processed digital image signals are successively read and are then output to an interface driver 49 through the data bus.

The interface driver 49 converts the digital image signals output from the RAM 47 to predetermined communication standard signals to be output to an interface connector 51. Namely, the image data signals are output from the interface connector 51. Consequently, if the interface connector 51 is connected to an interface connector of the personal computer 63, the image signals recorded in the magnetic disc 23 are input to the personal computer 63 as image information.

An interface line driver 49 can Input and output the image data, so that when the image data signals are input thereto through the interface connector 51, the image data signals are output to the RAM 47. The image data signals are successively written Into tile RAM 47 for each pixel, similar to the play-back.

The image"data for one picture plane written in the RAM 47 is processed to be digital image signals which can be recorded in the magnetic disc 23, by the digital signal processing circuit 53. The digital image signals are successively read from the RAM 47 and are converted to analogue image signals consisting of the luminance signals and the color signals by the D/A converter circuit 55 to be output to the Bi-modulation circuit 15.

Similar to the image signals output from the image signal processing circuit 13, the analogue image signals are FM-modulated by an FMmodulation circuit 15, are amplified by the recording amplifier 17 and are recorded in the magnetic disc 23 by the magnetic head 21.

The operations of the A/D converter 45, the RAM 47, the interface line driver 49 and the D/A converter 55 are controlled by the digital signal processing circuit 53. The digital signal processing circuit 53 is usually composed of a microcomputer which actuates the A/D converter 45, writes and reads the data into and from the RAM 47, processes the digital image signals written in the RAM 47, and actuates the interface line driver 49 and the D/A converter 55, in association with the system controller 31. The play-back and recording operations through the interface connector 51 are effected by the operating portion 41. Although the system controller 31 and the digital signal processing circuit 53 are separately provided in the illustrated embodiment, they can be constituted by a same microcomputer.

Although the above discussion has been directed to a still video apparatus having a recording function, tile present Invention can be applied to a still video apparatus for play-back only, having no recording function, as can be seen from the second embodiment of the present invention, described below and shown in Fig. 2.

The circuit arrangement of the second embodiment shown in Fig. 2 does not include the image Input terminal 11, the image signal processing circuit 13, the FM-modulation circuit 15, the selecting switch 19, and the D/A converter circuit 55. The other construction of the second embodiment is similar to that of the first embodiment shown in Fig. 1. In Fig. 2, the components corresponding to those of the first embodiment shown in Fig. 1 are designated with the same reference numerals.

The composite image signals which are read by the magnetic disc 23 through the magnetic head 21 are amplified by the play-back amplifier 33 and are FMdemodulated by the FM-demodulation circuit 35 to be output to the image signal processing circuit 37 and tile A/D converter 45.

0 The image signals consisting of the luminance signal and the color signal are processed to be video signals in the image signal processing circuit 37 and are then output to the image output terminal 39.

The image signals output from the FM-demodulation circuit 35 to the A/D converter 45 are.converted to digital signals and are written in the RAM 47 through the data bus for each pixel.

The digital image signals written in the RAM 47 are processed to be digital image signals which can be output to the personal computer by the ILO digital signal processing circuit 53. The digital image signals are successively read and output to the Interface line driver 49 through the data bus. In the interface line driver 49, the digital image signals are converted to predetermined communication standard signals to be output to the interface connector 51 as image data signals. If an interface connector of the personal computer 63 is connected to the interface connector 51, the digital image signals are input to the personal computer 63 as image data signals.

Fig. 3 shows a control circuit according to a third embodiment of the present invention. The third embodiment shown in Fig. 3 includes an interface for communication with a personal computer but does not have a normal image output terminal. In Fig. 3, the components corresponding to those in the first or second embodiment are designated with the same reference numerals.

The image signals recorded on a predetermined track of the magnetic disc 23 are read by the magnetic head 21 and output to the play-back amplifier 33 in which the image signals are amplified. The amplified image signals are then FM-demodulated by the image signal processing circuit WM-demodulation circuit) 37 and are output to the A/D converter 45 and tile synchronous separation circuit 57. The image signals input to the A/1) converter 45 are converted to digital image signals and are successively 1 i written in the RAM 47. The synchronous signals are split from the image signals in the synchronous separation circuit 57, so that the synchronous signals are output to the system controller 59.

The system controller 59 successively writes the digital luminance 5 signal and the digital color signal which are output from the A/D converter 45 into the RAM.47 for each pixel, in accordance with the synchronous signals. The system controller 59 comprises a microcomputer which generally controls the operations of the still video apparatus.

The digital image signals for one picture plane written in the RAN 47 are processed to be digital image signals which can be output to the personal computer, by the system controller 59 and are successively output to the interface line driver 49 through the data bus. The digital image signals are converted to predetermined communication standard image signals by the interface line driver 49 to be output to the interface connector 51.

is Since the still video apparatus of the third embodiment shown in Fig. 3 includes the interface which can input the recorded image signals as image data to an external image processing device, the image signals can be input to a personal computer which has no special interface for the image signals.

In the third embodiment, since the image signals are converted to image data which can be input to the personal computer without through the image signal processing circuit 37, the circuit arrangement is simplified, in comparison with the interface for the image data provided in the personal computer, and accordingly, the number of signal processing steps can be decreased, resulting in a less deterioration of the picture image signals.

In the first embodiment, the image data can be recorded in the still video apparatus after various processes, such as the composition of the image data, the insertion of letters, etc. are performed by the personal computer, so that the recorded image data can be seen in the monitor TV or printed out.

Namely, the still video apparatus can be used as an external image data memory of the personal computer.

0 Namely, in the first embodiment, since tile image data can be input and output, the still video apparatus serves as an external data memory for the personal computer, and the pictures taken by a still video camera can be restored after the various image processes are performed by the personal -5 computer.

It should be appreciated that the present Invention is not limited to the above mentioned embodiment in which an interface for a personal computer is provided, and can be used with a work station. an off computer, a word processor, a facsimile or other image processing devides which can process the image data.

As can be seen from the foregoing, since the still video apparatus of the present invention can communicate with an external image processing device which has no interface for image data. the application of the present invention can be broadened.

is Application to Still Video Camera The following discussion will be directed to an embodiment applied to a still video camera (Figs. 5 to 7).

In Fig. 6, the still video camera has a camera body III and an image input/output adaptor 161 which can be detachably attached to tile camera body 111. The camera body 111 is provided on its upper surface with a disc cover 115 in which a magnetic disc 23 (Fig. 5) is loaded and a release button 117. The camera body Ill has a photographing lens 119 (Fig. 5) on the front surface thereof. On the rear surface of the camera body III are provided a finder (an eyepiece thereof) 121, a display panel 123 for indicating tile photographing data, operation switches 125 which.set the photographing conditions, the photographing track and the play-back track. On one side face of the camera body III are provided a connector 127 which serves as an image output terminal and connecting members 129.

On the side face of the image input/output adaptor 161 are provided a connector 163 which can be connected to the connector 127 of the camera body 0 Ill and connecting members 165 which can be fitted in or on the connecting members 129 of the camera body III to make the image input/output adaptor 161 integral with the camera body 111. The connecting members 129 and 165 can be detachably connected to each other.

The image input/output adaptor 161 is provided, on its rear face, with operation switches 167 which control the communication, and on its opposite side face, with an interface 169 corresponding to the interface of the personal computer.

The following description will be focused on the internal circuit construction of the still video camera shown in Fig. 6 (Fig. 5).

An image of an object to be taken, which is formed on a picture plane of an imaging device 131 by a photographing lens 119 is converted to image signals (luminance signal and color signal) for each pixel unit by the imaging device 131, so that the image signals are supplied to the image signal processing circuit 133 in which the image signals are processed to be an image signal consisting of a luminance signal and a color signal. The.

image signal is FM-modulated by an FM-modulation circuit 135 and is then amplified by a recording amplifier 137. The amplified Image signal is supplied to a magnetic head 141 through a selecting switch 139. The image signal is recorded on a predetermined track of the magnetic disc 23 by the magnetic head 141. The image signal processing circuit 133, the FM-modulation circuit 165, the recording amplifier 137 and the magnetic head 141 form an image signal recording device. 25 The magnetic disc 23 is driven to rotate by a servo-motor 143 which is in turn driven by a servo-circult 145. The servo-circult 145 controls not only the rotation of the servo-motor 143, but also the tracking of the magnetic head 141, in accordance with the pulse signals from a PG coil 149. The composite image signals recorded on the magnetic disc 23 are read 30 by the magnetic head 141 and are then output to the play-back amplifier 151 through the selecting switch 139.

The composite image signals amplified by the play-back amplifier 151 are demodulated by an FM-demodulation circuit 153 and are then processed to be video signals which are output to the image output terminal 139. When an image input terminal of a monitor TV is connected to the image output terminal 139, the recorded picture can be seen in the monitor TV. Tile magnetic head 141, the play-back amplifier 151, the FM-demodulation circuit 153 and the image signal processing circuit 155 form a play-back device.

The image signal processing circuits 133 and 155, the switching operation of the selecting switch 139, the operation of the servo-motor and the tracking by the servo-circuit 145 are controlled by a system controller 149. The system controller 149 is usually comprised of a microcomputer which generally controls the operations of the components of the still video camera, in accordance with the program stored in the ROM of the microcomputer. 15 The operation switches 125 and the release switch 117 are connected to the system controller 149. The system controller 149 actuates the selecting switch 139, sets the recording track or the play-back track, and sets the photographing mode to take a picture and record the picture, in accordance with the operation of the release button 125. 20 The display panel 123 indicates information of various functions of the still video camera, such as "ON RECORDING", "ON PLAY-BACK", the recording track or the play-back track, or the photographing mode, etc. The indication is controlled by the system controller 149. The above-mentioned construction is similar to the construction of a conventional still video camera. The following discussion will be directed to an image input/output adaptor 161 which is one of the most significant features of the present invention.

The output of the FM-demodulation circuit 153 is connected to an image output terminal 127a of a connector 127 as an external output terminal. The control terminal of the system controller 149 is connected to a control X -13terminal 127b of the connector 127. Consequently, the image signals (luminance signal and color signal) demodulated by the FM-demodulation circuit 153 are output to the image output terminal 127a.

The connector 163 of the image input/output adaptor 161 has an image input terminal 163a and a control terminal 163b corresponding to the image input terminal 127a and the control terminal 127b, respectively. The image input terminal 163a and the control terminal 163b are connected to an A/D converter circuit 171 and a digital signal processing circuit 177, respectively.

The output of the A/D converter 171 is connected to a RAM 173, an interface line driver 175 and the digital signal processing circuit 177 through a data bus. The digital signal processing circuit 177 comprises a microcomputer which generally controls the operations of the A/D converter circuit 171, the RAM 173 and the interface line driver 175.

A luminance signal and a color signal, output from the FM-demodulation circuit 153 are input to the A/D converter circuit 171 through the image output terminal 127a and the image input terminal 163a. The luminance signal and the color signal are converted to digital signals by the A/D converter circuit 171 to be output to the RAM 173. Namely, the luminance signals and the color signals for one picture plane are successively written in the RAM 173 as pixel units of digital signals.

The digital image signals for one picture plane written in the RAM 173 are processed to be digital image data signals which can be output to the personal computer. The digital image data signals are then successively read and output to the interface line driver 175 through the data bus. The interface line driver 175 converts the digital image signals to predetermined communication standard signals which are output to the interface connector 169. Namely, the image data signals are output from the interface connector 169. As a result, if the interface connector 169 is connected to an interface connector of the personal computer 63, the picture recorded on the -14magnetic disc 23 can be input to the personal computer 63 as image data.

The play-back operation, as mentioned above is commenced by the operation switch 137 which is connected to the digital signal processing circuit 177. When the communication is commenced by the operation switch -5 137, the digital signal processing circuit 177 supplies the play-back commencement sIgnal to the system controller 149 through the control terminals 163b and 127b. The system controller 149 commences the playback operation in response to the play-back commencement signal received thereby to read the image signals of one picture plane recorded on the magnetic disc 23 through the play-back device, so that the image signals are output from the image output terminal 127a to the image input terminal 163a.

The image signals input to the image input terminal 163a are converted to image data through the A/D converter circuit 171, the RAM 173 and the interface line driver 175 and are then output from the interface connector 169.

The play-back track is set by the operation switch 117 of the camera body III in the illustrated embodiment. Alternatively, the play-back track can be set by the operation switch 167 of the image input/output adaptor 161.

As can be understood from the foregoing, according to the present invention, when the image input/output adaptor 161 is mounted to tile camera body 111, the recorded image signals can be input to the personal computer as image data. The image input/output adaptor 161 can be detached from the camera body 111 in a normal photographing to make the camera compact.

In the illustrated embodiment shown in Fig. 5, since the image signals are converted to image data which can be input to the personal computer without through the image signal processing circuit 133, the circuit arrangement is made simpler than the interface for the image data provided in the personal computer, so that the number of the signal processing steps can be reduced, resulting in less deterioration of image signals.

The present invention is not limited to the illustrated embodiments X -is mentioned above and can be variously modified.

For instance, if the output of the imaging device 131 is directly connected to the image output terminal 127a, the taken picture can be directly input to the personal computer without through the magnetic disc 23. If the camera body III has a function for recording the image signals from

an external device, the image input/output adaptor 161 can be constructed so as to convert the image data from the personal computer to the image signals which are input to the camera body 111. In this construction, the image processed by the personal computer can be recorded on the magnetic disc 23 and the recorded image can be seen by a monitor TV or printed out.

Furthermore, in case of a still video camera in which not only picture signals but also sound signals can be recorded, since the image input/output adaptor can be detachably mounted to the camera body, according to the present invention, a separate adaptor which has a sound input/output device incorporated therein can be selectively mounted to the camera body of tile still video camera to input and output the sound signals. It is also possible to incorporate the sound input/output device in the image input/output adaptor.

As can be seen from the above discussion, the still video camera according to the present invention can communicate with an external image processing device which has no special interface for the image signals by mounting the image input/output adaptor of the present invention to the camera body. The removal of the image input/output adaptor from the camera body makes it possible to take a picture by a conventional compact camera.

Claims

CLAIMS:

G I. A still video apparatus having image signal output means for outputting an electrical image signal, comprising:

signal converting means for converting the image signal to an image data signal which can be processed by an external image processing device; and, an interface which outputs the image data signal to the external image processing device.
2. A still video apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

said signal converting means comprising an A/D converter which converts the image signal to a digital signal, a memory which stores the converted digital image signal, and a digital signal processing circuit which converts the image signal stored in the memory to an image data signal which can be processed by the external image processing device and outputs the image data signal thus obtained at a predetermined speed.
3. A still video apparatus according to claim 2, wherein; said memory comprising an RAM, and said digital signal processing circuit comprising an CPU.
4. A still video apparatus according to claim 1, wherein; said interface comprising an interface driver which converts the image data signal to a predetermined communication standard signal to output the communication standard signal.
5. A still video apparatus having play-back means of an image signal which is recorded on a recording medium, comprising:

signal converting means for converting the image signal which is read z -17from the recording medium by the play-back means to an image data signal which can be processed by an external image processing device; and, an interface which outputs the image data signal to the external image processing device.
6. A stilLvideo apparatus according to claim 5, wherein; said signal converting means comprising an A/D converter which converts the image signal to a digital signal, a memory which stores the converted digital image signal, and a digital signal processing circuit which converts the image signal stored in the memory to an image data signal which can be processed by the external Image processing device and outputs the image data signal thus obtained at a predetermined speed.
7. A still video apparatus according to claim 6, wherein:

is said memory comprising an RAM, and said digital signal processing circuit comprising an CPU.
8. A still video apparatus according to claim 5, wherein; said interface comprising an interface driver which converts the image data signal to a predetermined communication standard signal to output the communication standard signal.
9. A still video apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said recording medium is a magnetic disc.
10. A still video apparatus having recording means for recording an image signal on a recording medium and play-back means of the image signal recorded on the recording medium, comprising: an interface which receives and transmits an image data signal from and to an external image processing device; and, -is- signal converting means for converting the image signal which is read by the play-back means to the image data signal or converting the image data signal input from the interface to an image signal which can be recorded on the recording medium.
11. A still video apparatus according to claim 10, wherein; said signal converting means comprising an A/D converter which converts the image signal to a digital signal, a memory which stores the converted digital image signal. and a digital signal processing circuit which converts the image signal stored in the memory to an image data signal which can be processed by the external image processing device and outputs tile image data signal thus obtained at a predetermined speed.
12. A still video apparatus according to claim 11, wherein; said memory comprising an RAM, and said digital signal processing circuit comprising an CPU.
13. A still video apparatus according to claim 10, wherein; said interface comprising an interface driver which converts the image data signal to a predetermined communication standard signal to output the communication standard signal.
14. A still video apparatus according to claim 10, wherein; said interface comprising an interface driver which converts an predetermined communication standard signal of the image data signal to the image data signal.
15. A still video apparatus according to claim 10, wherein; said signal converting means comprising a memory which stores the image 3() data signal which inputs from the interface, and a digital signal processing t 1- k, - 1 -19circuit which converts the image data signal stored in the memory to an image signal which can be recorded on the recording medium.
16. A still video apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said 5 recording medium is a magnetic disc.
17. A still video camera comprising: a camera body which comprises an imaging means for converting an image of an object to be taken to an electrical image signal, a recording means for 1-0 recording the image signal on a recording medium and a play-back means for reading the image signal recorded on the recording medium; and, an adaptor which is detachably mounted to the camera body and which comprises a signal converting means for converting the image signal read from the recording medium by the play-back means to an image data signal which can be processed by an external image processing device and an interface which outputs the image data signal to the external image processing device.
18. A still video apparatus according to claim 17, wherein; said signal converting means comprising an A/D converter which converts the image signal to a digital signal, a memory which stores the converted digital image signal, and a digital signal processing circuit which converts the image signal stored in the memory to an image data signal which can be processed by the external image processing device and outputs the image data signal thus obtained at a predetermined speed.
19. A still video apparatus according to claim 18, wherein; said memory comprising an RAM, and said digital signal processing circuit comprising an CPU.
20. A still video apparatus according to claim 17, wherein; said interface comprising an interface driver which converts the image data signal to a predetermined communication standard signal to output the communication standard signal.
21. A still video apparatus according to claim 17, wherein; said adaptor further comprises an operating means for commencing tile play-back operation of the play-back means of the camera body.
22. A still video apparatus according to claim 17, wherein; said camera body comprises an external output terminal from which the image signal Is output.
23. A still video apparatus according to claim 22, wherein; said adaptor comprises an image Input terminal which can be connected to the output terminal of the camera body.
24. A still video camera comprising: a camera body which comprises an imaging means for converting an image of an object to be taken to an electrical image signal to output the electrical image signal; and, an adaptor which is detachably mounted to the camera body and which comprises a signal converting means for converting the image signal output from the imaging means to an image data signal which can be processed by an external image processing device and an interface which outputs the image data signal to the external image processing device.
25. A still video apparatus according to claim 24, wherein; said signal converting means comprising an A/D converter which converts the image signal to a digital signal, a memory which stores the converted digital image signal, and a digital signal procesging circuit which converts 1 1. \ -21the image signal stored In the memory to an image data signal which can be processed by the external image processing device and outputs the image data signal thus obtained at a predetermined speed.
26. A still video apparatus according to claim 25, wherein; said memory comprising an RAM, and said digital signal processing circuit comprising an CPU.
27. A still video apparatus according to claim 24, wherein; said interface comprising an Interface driver which converts the image data signal to a predetermined communication standard signal to output the communication standard signal.
28. A still video apparatus according to claim 24, wherein; said camera body comprises an external output terminal from which the image signal is output.
29. A still video apparatus according to claim 24, wherein; said adaptor comprises an Image input terminal which can be connected 20 to the output terminal of the camera body.

Published 1991 atIbe Patent Office, State House, 66/71 High Holborn, London WC I R477P. Further copies maybe obtained from 'Wes Branch. Unit 6. Nine Mile Point, Cwrnfelinfach, Cross Keys, Nmport. NPI 7HZ. Printed by Multiplex techniques lid. St Mary Cray. Kent