JP2652239B2 - Solid camera device - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a camera using a solid-state memory (a memory element that does not require a movable mechanism for recording and reproducing information).

[Conventional technology]

Electronic still cameras (hereinafter abbreviated as “solid-state cameras”) using a memory element that does not require a movable mechanism for recording / reproducing information include silver halide still cameras and video floppy electronic still cameras (hereinafter “SV”). Cameras ").

The SV camera electronically handles image information, enabling instant playback of captured images, and facilitates image transmission, computer processing of images, and electronic filing of images. However, in this type of SV camera, considerable work accuracy is required for a mechanism for rotating a small magnetic sheet called a video floppy at a high speed and recording video information on the magnetic sheet with a track pitch of 10 to 100 μm. Therefore, it has been difficult to reduce the cost of the camera itself. An optical disk camera using an optical recording medium instead of a magnetic sheet has also been devised, but for the same reason as described above, there was a limit to cost reduction.

In the above situation, solid-state cameras are expected to solve the drawbacks of second-generation cameras (SV cameras).

Hereinafter, the concept of the solid-state camera system will be briefly described.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing an example of the solid-state camera system. In FIG.
Is a memory pack (cartridge) for storing image information. This memory pack M includes an IC memory, a backup power supply, and the like. The photographing of the subject is made possible by inserting the memory pack M into the throttle of the solid-state camera C.

Various methods are conceivable for connecting the memory pack M and the solid-state camera C, such as a method using a normal metal connector, a method using a transmit coil, and a method using an optical coupler.

In FIG. 5 (b), R is the solid-state camera C.
And a playback device that plays back image information captured by the memory pack M. The output of the playback device can be connected to a normal TV monitor, video printer, still image transmitter, still image filing device, or the like. Have been.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

However, in the solid-state camera recording / reproducing apparatus as described above, since the memory pack M is used as an information medium to transmit information between the camera C and the reproducing device R, the memory pack M is attached to and detached from the camera C during reproduction and reproduced. It is indispensable to mount the memory pack M on the machine R side. For example, in the case of the camera C that records only a few sheets, such attaching and detaching and mounting operations of the memory pack M are extremely inconvenient for the user.

Further, the camera C requires a circuit for signal processing and the like as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 to be described later, and a power supply and the like for driving a lens driving unit and an exposure control unit such as an aperture (not shown). Before use, management such as battery check and battery replacement is required, putting a burden on the user,
When a battery having a large power supply capacity is used, there is a problem that the camera C becomes large.

(Improvement Proposal Example) FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the configuration of an improvement proposal example of a conventional solid-state camera and a conventional playback device.

In the figure, reference numeral 2 denotes a plurality of electrical contacts (contact pins) 2a for transmitting information in the solid-state memory to the reproducing device R side.
And electrical contacts (contact pins) 2b for receiving and supplying power supplied from the regenerator R, 3 is a display means such as an LCD,
4 is a regulating member for regulating the direction when the camera C is mounted on the reproducing device R, and 5 is each contact pin 2 of the camera.
A plurality of electrical contacts in a slot portion for transmitting information and supplying power in combination with the display device; 6, a display means such as an LCD; and 7, a transmission switch for transmitting memory information in the camera C to the reproducing device R side. , 9 is a solid-state memory cartridge, 10 is a plurality of electrical contacts for transmitting information, and 11 is a memory cartridge 9
Adapter for transmitting the information of
A plurality of electrical contacts corresponding to the memory cartridge contacts 10,
Reference numeral 13 denotes a plurality of electrical contacts (contact pins) corresponding to the reproducing device contacts 5.

That is, FIG. 6 shows a camera C having a solid-state memory.
In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, a plurality of electrical contacts 2 for memory information communication are provided, and a slot portion having respective contacts 5 to which the contacts 2 can be attached and detached is provided in the reproducing device R. Things.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the contact portion of the adapter 11 in FIG. 6, where 13 is an electrical contact (contact pin) for connecting to the reproducing device R, and 12 is a portion of the memory cartridge 9. It is an electrical contact for connecting with the contact 10,
Both are electrically connected by solder, lead wires, or the like.

(Operation) Next, the operation in the above configuration will be described. First, when taking a picture, it is confirmed by the display member 3 of the camera C that there is a battery capacity capable of taking a picture, and then the picture is taken. If the battery capacity is insufficient, a display indicating that charging is necessary is displayed on the display member 3, and it is determined that shooting is not possible even if the release button is pressed in that state. In reproduction, the camera C is mounted on the reproducing device R such that the contact copy 2 of the camera C is inserted into the slot outlet contact 5 of the reproducing device R,
After the mounting of the display member 6 is completed, the transmission switch 7 is turned on, and the image information in the camera C is transmitted to the reproducing device R side.

When the camera C is mounted on the playback device R, the device position of the camera C is determined by the setting member 4 intended to make the mounting portion shape of the camera C asymmetrical. Is charged from the power supply contact of the camera C through the power supply contact pin 2 of the camera C. At this time, the start of charging is detected on the regenerator R side, a display indicating that the mounting is completed and charging is being performed is performed on the display unit 6, and a display indicating that charging is completed is performed on the display unit 6 after charging is completed. At this time, a display indicating that shooting is possible is displayed on the display unit 3 of the camera C, and camera shooting is enabled.

When inputting from the memory cartridge 9 to the reproducing device R, the adapter 11 is inserted into the reproducing device slot portion 5, and
Thereafter, by mounting the memory cartridge 9 in the adapter 11, the memory information is transmitted to the reproducing device R in the same manner as described above.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

However, in the above conventional example, the confirmation of the completion of the loading of the camera C may be performed by, for example, arranging a switch (not shown) on the reproducing device R so as to operate when the camera is mounted.
In such a method, when the adapter 11 is mounted, the apparatus operates even when the memory cartridge 9 is not loaded. Therefore, there is a problem that it is determined that communication is possible with the reproducing device R and a malfunction may occur.

[Means for solving the problem]

Therefore, according to the present invention, in a solid-state camera device including a camera having a plurality of electrical contacts and a playback device having a slot connectable to the electrical contacts, a solid-state memory cartridge can be inserted, and An adapter having a first plurality of electrical contacts capable of reading information and a second plurality of electrical contacts connectable to a slot of the playback device; The above object is achieved by arranging a switch that operates when the device is inserted into the adapter in the adapter or the reproducing device, and by controlling the memory information communication by the operation of the switch.

[Action]

With the above configuration, it is possible to detect that the memory cartridge has been attached to the playback device through the adapter, to check whether transmission of the memory information is possible, to give a necessary warning, and to transmit the memory information. Since the memory information communication control for reading and displaying the memory capacity, type, and the like on the playback device side is performed, more reliable memory information transmission is possible.

〔Example〕

 Hereinafter, the present invention will be described based on examples.

(Configuration) FIGS. 1 (a) and 1 (b) show an enlarged sectional view and a side view of two embodiments of the configuration of the switch section according to the present invention, respectively. 13 is a contact contact of the adapter 11, 9 is a memory cartridge, 11 is an adapter, 14 is a spring, a sliding pin which is urged and slides in the vertical direction, 15 and 16 are loading completion detection switches, respectively, and R is a reproduction. And R is a contact of a slot of the reproducing machine (see FIG. 6).

In the configuration of FIG. 1A of the first embodiment, when the memory cartridge 9 is loaded, the sliding pin 14 is pushed down, and as a result, when the loading is completed, the loading completion detection switch 15 provided on the reproducing machine R side. To work.

In the configuration of FIG. 1B of the second embodiment,
A loading completion switch 16 is provided in the adapter 11, and when the loading of the memory cartridge 9 is completed, the switch 16 is operated, and the operation signal is transmitted to the reproducing device R through the contact contact (pin) 13 of the adapter 9.

(Camera Configuration) Next, the configuration of the camera C will be described with reference to the block diagrams of FIGS. FIG. 2 is a configuration block diagram showing a flow of processing of the camera C, and FIG. 3 is a configuration block diagram showing a flow of a power supply system.

2, reference numeral 21 denotes a photographic lens, 22 denotes an exposure control unit such as an aperture, 23 denotes a solid-state image sensor such as a CCD, 24 denotes a signal processing circuit, 25 denotes an A / D converter, 26 denotes a buffer memory, and 27 denotes a buffer memory.
Is a solid-state memory, and 2a is the contact.

(Camera Operation) The light beam passed through the taking lens 21 and narrowed down by the exposure control means 22 is imaged on the image sensor 23 and converted into an electric signal. Then, after passing through the signal processing circuit 24, it is converted into a digital signal by the A / D converter 25, and then temporarily stored in the buffer memory 26, and then stored in the solid-state memory 27 at a data transfer rate suitable for recording. It is read out, recorded in the memory 27, and played back through the information transmitting contact 2a.
Sent to the side.

In FIG. 3, the flow of the power supply system is such that the electric power supplied from the reproducing device R side is charged to the rechargeable battery 30 in the camera C via the electric contact 2b on the camera C side, and is boosted by the DC-DC converter 31. Then, it is supplied to the camera processing section 32 to drive the camera.

(Reproducer Configuration) FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a signal flow of the reproducer R used when reproducing the image information photographed and stored by the solid-state camera C described above. In the figure, 5 is a plurality of contacts for receiving information from the camera C, 34 is a memory interface, 35 is a processing circuit, 36 is a D / A converter, 37 is a signal processing circuit, 9 is a memory cartridge, and 11 is a memory cartridge. It is a memory adapter.

Image information supplied from the information receiving contact 5 from the camera C side is read out via the memory interface 34. Then, image processing such as binarization processing or edge enhancement processing is performed in the image processing circuit 35, and the D / A converter 36
After being converted into an analog signal, the signal is output as a signal A in, for example, an electronic camera video signal format by a required signal processing circuit 37. To output the output signal as a digital signal, the digital signal B is directly processed without passing through the D / A converter 36 after being processed by the image processing circuit 35.
Output as

Next, in the case of input from the memory cartridge 9, the memory cartridge 9 is inserted into the adapter 11, the adapter contact 13 is connected to the reproducing device contact 5, and the loading complete switch 15 or
After receiving the 16 signals, the same processing is performed.

(Other Embodiments) In each of the above-described embodiments, the electrical contacts for communication and the loading detection switch are separately provided. However, as shown in FIG. A loading detection switch (contact) 2b may be provided in parallel with the electric contact 2a. Contact 2b
Among them, one is for grounding. When the adapter is completely loaded, the plurality of contacts 2a and 2b come into contact with the reproducing device contact 5 and then, when the memory cartridge 9 is loaded, the adapter contact
12 contacts the memory cartridge contact 10 and the output (current value or voltage value) of the contact 2b for loading detection is "high" or "low" from a predetermined level.
Judge.

In order to reduce the number of contacts and improve reliability,
The above-mentioned loading detection contact 2b and communication contact 2b are used as a common contact, and signal communication contents (load detection and data communication)
It is also possible to perform communication by shifting the time series.

〔The invention's effect〕

As described above, according to the present invention, a solid-state memory cartridge can be inserted in a solid-state camera device including a camera having a plurality of electrical contacts and a playback device having a slot connectable to the electrical contacts. And an adapter having a first plurality of electrical contacts capable of reading the memory information and a second plurality of electrical contacts connectable to a slot of the playback device, wherein the adapter is inserted and connected to the slot portion. Also, a switch that operates when the memory cartridge is inserted into the adapter is provided in the adapter or the playback device, and the memory information communication control is performed by the operation of the switch, so that the memory cartridge is mounted on the playback device through the adapter. Can be detected, whether or not transmission of memory information is possible, necessary warnings are given, To perform Nde read the memory information by the reproducing unit side memory information communication control or to a display, such as a memory capacity and type, it has enabled more reliable memory information transmission.

[Brief description of the drawings]

1 (a) and 1 (b) are enlarged sectional views of two embodiments of an adapter contact portion of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a processing system configuration of the camera of the present embodiment, and FIG. FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a reproducing apparatus according to the present embodiment, FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an example of a conventional solid-state camera system, and FIG. FIG. 7 is an enlarged sectional view of the adapter contact portion of the conventional example shown in FIG. C: solid-state camera R: regenerator 2, 5, 10, 12, 13 ... electrical contacts 5 ... slot 9 ... memory cartridge 11 ... adapter 15, 16 ... loading completion detection switch

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A solid-state camera device comprising a camera having a solid-state memory, a plurality of electric contacts, and a reproducing device having a slot connectable to the electric contacts, wherein a solid-state memory cartridge can be inserted, and An adapter having a first plurality of electrical contacts capable of reading the memory information and a second plurality of electrical contacts connectable to a slot of the playback device, wherein the adapter is inserted and connected to the slot; And a switch that operates when the memory cartridge is completely inserted into the adapter, is provided in the adapter or the playback device, and memory information communication control is performed by the operation of the switch.