JP3264970B2 - Digital camera - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a digital camera,
Is a digital camera with easy control of image data reproduction
Related.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Numerous types of systems have been put into practical use as systems for storing image information in a memory and reproducing the stored information. Among these systems, an optical image is converted into an electric signal and a memory card (IC card)
In a digital still camera that records data on a recording medium such as a disk or a disk, no special processing is performed only by sequentially recording the obtained image data on the recording medium.

[0003]

In a conventional digital camera, image data is recorded as one file on a recording medium in a format accompanied by attribute information and related information necessary for reproduction. When reproducing image data recorded by this type of digital camera, each image file is accessed and attribute information, related information, and image data are read, and attribute information described in the file is read. Search takes a long time, which is an obstacle to speeding up the reproduction. Also, when high-speed continuous recording is performed, or when images to be photographed or photographed images are grouped by the same scene or the same date, etc., attribute information is grouped with each image file. Related information is written, but in order to manage the image files, all the image files to be managed must be read, and the management is complicated. In addition, when it is desired to confirm what kind of device has recorded an image to be reproduced,
Even when it is desired to confirm the grouping information or to re-edit, the handling of the image file is troublesome.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an efficient image reproduction.
Information and re-use information for grouping.
Provides a digital camera suitable for checking and reediting
Is to do.

[0005]

A digital camera according to the present invention.
Is imaging means for generating an electric signal corresponding to the subject image
And the electric signal generated by the imaging means
A / D conversion means for converting into a signal, and the A / D conversion means
Image data, which is the digital signal output of
Recording means for performing recording on a recording medium,
Header and data under the specified root directory
And set separately from the above image file
Information related to the image file in the control file
And data identifying the camera used to capture the image.
Control record to record the data in ASCII code.
File forming means.

[0006]

The image is taken by the image pickup means and is read by the A / D conversion means.
Means for recording image data representing a digitized image
While recording on a recording medium as an image file by
Under the root directory set on the recording medium,
The image file in a form having a header section and a data section.
Is stored in a separately set control file.
Information related to the image file by the
Information and data identifying the camera used to capture the image.
And are recorded in ASCII code.

[0007]

Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail. As an embodiment of the present invention, an application example to a digital still camera will be described below. In this embodiment, the recording medium can be processed and handled by a personal computer.
The file format of the OS such as the OS and UNIX is set as a recording format for each image, and each data is handled as a file. For the related information of these data files, a specific file (control file) in a personal computer format is provided, and the related information is displayed and edited in a personal computer word processor or editing software. (For example, ASCII
Format or text format). As a result, the image information obtained by the camera shooting is recorded on a recording medium and can be used as it is in a personal computer system, so that the user can easily and easily describe the control file, and the description, modification, addition, etc. of the related information can be easily performed. And a low-cost camera system can be constructed. Also,
The camera manufacturer does not need to develop a dedicated related information recording device, which can greatly reduce development costs and man-hours. Handling is further facilitated by adopting a common description method that is easy for the user to understand as the control file.

The types of image information include, for example, the date of the clock function inside the camera, and when a plurality of cameras are used, a unique camera I which is preset in each camera.
D. There are modes such as an event for setting shooting conditions such as a shooting target (athletic meet, excursion, etc.) and continuous shooting. By assigning and recording an image file name for each of these modes (types), management becomes easy. Each of these items can be managed by creating a subdirectory.

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a flowchart of a recording process on a recording medium according to the embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a flowchart of a reproducing process from the recording medium, and FIG. (Camera system configuration diagram when applied to a digital camera). In FIG. 3, a subject image formed on a CCD 2 via a lens 1 is converted into an electric signal, and then subjected to predetermined processing such as γ correction in an imaging process circuit 3 to obtain an A / D converter (ADC). In step 4, it is converted to a digital signal. Selector 5
Sets a path for recording digital image data from the A / D converter 4 in the RAM 6 during recording. RA
The block data read from M6 (data of each divided block when one screen is divided into a plurality of blocks) is supplied to the compression / decompression unit 8 via the selector 7.
Supplied to DCT / IDC of compression / decompression unit 8
The T circuit 81 is a discrete cosine transform / inverse discrete cosine transform circuit.
Perform orthogonal transformation processing. The transform coefficients obtained by the orthogonal transform are quantized by a quantization / dequantization circuit 82 and then encoded by an encoding / decoding circuit 83.

[0010] Processing such as encoding in the compression / decompression unit 8 is controlled by an encoding control circuit 13 based on an instruction from a system control circuit 12. That is, based on the contrast information for each of the divided areas, the system control circuit 12 selects and sets an appropriate Q table for the divided area as described above, and compresses / expands it via the encoding control circuit 13. The compression processing in the unit 8 is controlled. The image data compression-encoded by the compression / decompression unit 8 is supplied to the card interface (I / F) circuit 10 via the selector 9 and recorded on the memory card 11. The system control circuit 12 calculates R
AM6, selectors 7, 9, encoding control circuit 13, compression /
It controls the operations of the decompression unit 8, the card interface circuit 10, and the communication control circuit 20, and receives signals from the operation unit 14 to perform various controls of the entire camera including the operation of the present invention described later.

At the time of reproduction, the digital image data switched by the selector 5 is subjected to predetermined reproduction processing by a reproduction processing unit 15, converted into an analog signal by a D / A converter 16, and then to an EVF (electronic viewfinder). 1
7 and an output terminal on the monitor side. The system control circuit 12 controls the operation unit 1 to which various switches described later are connected.
4 and receives the operation information from the communication control unit 4, performs corresponding control, and is connected to the communication control unit 20 to perform a communication control operation with the serial interface circuit 21. The selector 18 is connected to a RAM 18 that operates as described below. A modem or a transmission partner camera is connected to the serial interface circuit 21.

In the configuration shown in FIG. 3, in a data transmission mode for transmitting data, the selector 9 is connected to the RAM 18 and data read from the IC card 11 via the card interface 10 is sent to the selector 9.
The image data read via the selector 9 is stored in a RAM
18, the data is expanded by the compression / expansion unit 8, and written to the RAM 6 via the selector 7. The image data read from the RAM 6 passes through the selector 5, is subjected to the above-described reproduction processing by the reproduction processing unit 15, is converted into an analog signal by the D / A converter 16, and is output to the EVF 17 on the monitor. In the case of transmitting the data in the RAM 18, high-speed transmission is possible by reading the data from the RAM 18 and transmitting the data.

The operation unit 14 is provided with various keys and switches. In this example, a desired file name assigning process is selected by operating the switches 22N, 22E, and 22C, respectively, corresponding to the normal (date), event, and camera ID modes listed as the file units. In order to make this selection, a selector configuration can be used instead of the switch. Also, a + key 23A and a-key 23B for setting a serial number and a mode serial number to be assigned to image data in each file unit, a first trigger switch 24A and a second trigger switch 24B having a two-stage configuration, Image / sound information switch 2 for switching sound information
5. Reproduction mode switch 26 and recording / reproduction switch 2
7 are provided. The LCD 19 displays information such as the current mode, file name, and serial number based on information from the operation unit 14 and the like.

The normal, camera ID and event mode are arbitrarily set by a mode selection operation. FIG. 4 shows display examples on the LCD 19 in each mode. FIG. 11A shows a display example of the normal mode (date mode), and the normal mode “DA” is displayed on the display screen.
TE, date "H3.12.02", serial number "1" of the image data, and "recordable" or "REC OK" indicating that recording is possible. B) shows a camera ID mode, and the camera ID number 1 in the camera mode is “CAMERA ID.
The serial number “1” and “recordable” are shown as “1”. In FIG.
T1 ", serial number" 1 ", and" recordable "are displayed.The ID number, event number, serial number, and the like in each item can be changed by operating the + key 23A or the-key 23B in each mode. Usually, at the time of photographing, the serial number is automatically incremented for each photographing, and the serial number is
When recording is performed discontinuously with the 3A or the-key 23B, when the unrecorded number is selected later, "recordable" is displayed on the LCD 19, and when the recorded number is selected, the recorded "REC END" is recorded. Is displayed to improve usability. The above display is not limited to the LCD 19,
Of course, it can also be displayed on the monitor screen of F17 or the video output side.

FIG. 5 shows an example of the change of the display contents in the event mode. FIG. 4A shows a display similar to that of FIG. 4C, in which event number 1 to be photographed from now on is displayed as a serial number. Here, when changing the event number, the change is made with the + key 23A and the − key 23B. When the + key 23A is pressed once, the event number is changed to event number 2 (FIG. 8B). When shooting is performed in this state, the serial number is automatically incremented by one, and becomes "2" as shown in FIG. Further, when it is desired to return the event number to "1", it is sufficient to press the-key 23B once, and the state returns to the state shown in FIG.

FIG. 6 shows an example of the configuration of the control file. The file header contains data common to the file data structure of the OS, and the data area contains relevant information in FIGS. And so on. Generally, word processing software and editors (text editing software) of personal computers cannot be displayed as ordinary characters unless they are described in ASCII code or text format. Therefore, when displaying and editing data contents, it is necessary to display and describe each character in ASCII code.

Data structure (file structure) in recording medium
An example is shown in FIG. A control file # 1, an image information file # 2, and a sound information file # 3 are provided in the root directory. In FIG. 7, the control file “DSC00001.
J6C ”, image information file“ DSC00001.J6 ”
I to DSC00004.J6I ”and the sound information file“ D
SC0001.J6S to DSC00003.J6S ". A subdirectory 01 as" event 1 "is represented by SUB01, and the subdirectory includes a control file # 4 and an image information file as described above. In this example, one control file is provided in each directory to manage file associations, so that when each directory is copied, the control file is also copied at the same time. Will be
Management at the copy destination becomes easy. It should be noted that one control file can be provided in the root directory, and related management of all files can be performed.

FIG. 8 shows an example of a memory map of an IC card memory as a recording medium. A management area is composed of a level 1 and level 2 attribute information area, a boot area, a directory area, and a FAT (file allocation table) area, and subsequent control files # 1, image information data files # 2, # 4, and sound information. Data files # 3 and # 5, a subdirectory 01 directory, a subdirectory 01 control file # 6, and a data file # 7.

FIG. 9 shows a description example of a related information file. A frame number table (TABLE) is shown following START at the beginning of the data area. First, four image information files # 2 are provided in the image information root directory # 1 corresponding to frame numbers 1 to 4, and then three sound information files # 2 are stored in the sound information file root directory # 3. 4, and a control file # 6 is provided in a root directory # 5 of the control file. The image information subdirectory # 7 also has eleven image information files # 8.
Further, a control file “DSCS0101.J6C” of the subdirectory # 9 is provided. Relevant information is indicated as “INFO” # 10 and “REC DRIV”.
“E1” indicates continuous shooting at the time of recording, “TIME = 01” indicates one-second interval continuous shooting, and four files # 11 are provided for four pieces of image information recorded by continuous shooting.

FIG. 10 shows a file arrangement following FIG. The image, such as the case where the image information and the sound information that are operated when a certain specific mode is set are reproduced at the same time,
Both information files # 1 are listed as sound-related information. “CONT” indicates continuous reproduction, and the operation is controlled and designated by “ON” and “OFF” subsequent thereto. “SING” indicates reproduction of sound information only once. The fact that two sound information files are described side by side and “SING” is described instructs reproduction of two pieces of sound information once. Next, the mode selection is instructed by “PROGRAM01”, the first sound information is output from the sound information file of “DSC00001.J6S”, and after 5 seconds elapses by “TIME = 05”, the three subsequent sound information are output. After outputting the image information of the (first to third) image information files, the second sound information file is output. Then, after a lapse of 10 seconds (TIME = 1
0) Output the fourth image information, return to the first process, and repeat the process. Each process ends with “END”. The above-mentioned frame number table, every time newly recorded,
Since the frame number and the file name are additionally described, they may be described at the end for management.

As shown in FIG. 11, the shooting date (time) may be recorded together with the file name. The related information is obtained by operating a switch provided on the camera.
It is displayed on the EVF of the camera, the monitor for reproduction, and the LCD.
For example, each time the playback mode switch is pressed during playback, the playback mode display switches as shown in FIG. The first operation is the date mode operation, the next operation is the event mode operation, and the next operation is the related mode operation. The related mode operation is “PICT” that reproduces a picture and sound in association with each other.
3 is an operation unit shown in FIG. 3, which is any one of “INTER & PLAY” which reproduces a continuous operation record as it is continuously performed, and “INTERITAL PLAY” which reproduces each frame number every time, “PROGRAMPLAY” which executes a program operation. 14 is selected by operation keys provided on the display unit 14.

The recording operation process will be described with reference to FIG. 1. First, an "ON" operation of the first trigger switch is waited for (step S1), and when the "ON" operation is performed, an AF operation (step S2) is performed. After the AE operation (step S3), the control file is read from the recording medium, and the currently recorded frame number and file name are read (step S4). Next, the operation waits for the "ON" operation of the second trigger switch, and when the "ON" operation is performed, the photographed image data is written into the frame memory (step S).
6) The image data is compressed and recorded in the card memory (step S7). Subsequently, the control file is written (step S8), and the recording is completed. The writing process of the control file in step S8 includes adding a description of the recorded frame number and file name.

As shown in FIG. 2, the reproduction processing procedure first reads a control file, reads a currently recorded frame number and a file name (step S).
11) It is determined whether or not the reproduction mode switch has been operated "ON" (step S12). If it is not "ON", the reproduction is performed in the order of the frame number from the current frame number by the normal reproduction operation (step S13), and the reproduction ends. When the reproduction mode switch is operated "ON", it is determined whether or not the mode is the date mode (step S14).
If the mode is the date mode, playback is performed in the order of date (time order) (step S15), and the process ends. Step S1
4, if it is determined that the mode is not the date mode, it is determined whether the mode is the event mode (step S1).
6) If the event mode, the event number is displayed (step S17), and the event number is selected (step S17).
18) and the sequential playback of the event numbers (step S1)
9) is performed, and the process ends. If it is determined in step S16 that the mode is not the event mode, the related information is reproduced (step S20) and the related information is displayed (step S20).
21), the related information is selected (step S22), and the reproduction (step S23) is performed based on the selected information, and the process ends.

FIG. 13 shows an example in which a frame number and a file name recorded on a recording medium are displayed on the display unit of the camera, and each file # 1 and image file # 1 constituting an image information file (PICTURE) is displayed. The individual file # 2 that constitutes the sound information file is also stored in the event information file (E
VENT1) # 3 is displayed. This table is displayed as it is, so that it is not necessary to search and sort every time the table is displayed.

FIG. 14 shows an example of the configuration when the present invention is applied to an image editing and reproducing apparatus. In this embodiment, the same management can be performed by operating the reproduction mode switch. FIG.
In 4, the image signal supplied from the external input terminal is
The signal is converted into a digital signal by an A / D converter (ADC) 31. The selector 32 controls the A / D converter 3 during recording.
A path is set such that the digital image data from No. 1 is recorded in the RAM 33 as a frame memory. RAM3
The block data (data of each divided block when one screen is divided into a plurality of blocks) read out from the compression / decompression unit 3 via the selector 34
5 is supplied. DCT / I of compression / decompression unit 35
The DCT circuit 351 is a discrete cosine transform / inverse discrete cosine transform circuit, and performs an orthogonal transform process on the block data for data compression. The transform coefficients obtained by the orthogonal transform are quantized by the quantization / dequantization circuit 352 and then encoded by the encoding / decoding circuit 353.

Processing such as encoding in the compression / decompression unit is controlled by an encoding control circuit 40 based on an instruction from the system control circuit 9. That is, based on the contrast information for each divided area, the system control circuit 39 selects and sets an appropriate Q table for the divided area as described above, and
0 controls the compression processing in the compression / decompression unit 35. The image data compression-encoded by the compression / decompression unit 35 is supplied to the card interface (I / F) circuit 37 via the selector 36 and recorded on the memory card 8. Or, the system control circuit 3
The data may be recorded on a magneto-optical disk 48 by a magneto-optical disk drive 47 through the optical disk drive 9. System control circuit 39
Controls the operations of the RAM 33, the selectors 34 and 36, the encoding control circuit 40, the compression / decompression unit 35, the card interface circuit 37, and the communication control circuit 45. The overall control including the operation of the present invention is performed.

At the time of reproduction, a desired reproduction mode is set to a normal mode switch 49N, similarly to the mode switch of FIG.
This is set by the event mode switch 49E and the camera ID mode switch 49C. The image data read from the memory card 38 is transmitted to the card interface circuit 3
7, the selector 36, the compression / decompression unit 35, the selector 34 and the RAM 33
The digital image data switched in step (1) is subjected to predetermined reproduction processing in the reproduction processing section 42, and the D / A converter 4
After being converted into an analog signal in step 3, the signal is supplied to the LCD monitor 44 and the video output terminal. System control circuit 39
Receives operation information from the operation unit 41 to which various switches are connected, performs corresponding control, and performs communication control.
5 and performs a communication control operation with the serial interface circuit 46. Serial interface circuit 4
6 is connected to a modem or a transmission partner camera.

[0028]

The related information of the image recorded under the root directory is formed as a control file by a code (ASCII code) which can be displayed as characters by text editing software very easily. The image data can be directly accessed without accessing the image data, and further, the image data is grouped based on the related information information of the image described in a form easily displayed as characters on a general-purpose information reproducing device such as a personal computer. The convenience of quickly searching for and editing is provided. Further, by recording data for identifying the camera used for recording the image data, it is easy to find the cause when there is a defect in the recorded image. Also, when rewriting or erasing image-related data, this can be performed quickly and easily. In particular, the operability of image information using a personal computer is significantly improved by providing the digital camera with the above configuration functions.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing a recording procedure for handling an image information file according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a reproduction procedure for handling an image information file according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of an image information file handling apparatus according to the present invention, which is an example of application to a digital camera.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a display example in each mode of the camera display unit according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a display example in an event mode according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram of a control file according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of a file structure in a recording medium according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of a memory map in an IC memory card according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a description example of a related information file according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of an editing process according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating an example of a file description in the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an example of related information reproduction (display) according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating a display example of file information according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 14 is a configuration block diagram when the image information file handling device according to the present invention is applied to an image editing / playback device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Lens 2 CCD 3 Imaging process circuit 4,31 A / D converter 5,7,9,32,34,36 Changeover switch 6,18,33 RAM 8,35 Compression / expansion unit 10,37 Card interface circuit 11,38 IC card memory 12, 39 System control circuit 13, 40 Encoding control circuit 14, 41 Operation unit 15, 42 Reproduction process circuit 16, 43 D / A converter 17 EVF 19, 44 LCD 20, 45 Communication control circuit 21, 46 Serial Interface circuit 22N, 49N Normal mode switch 22E, 49E Event mode switch 22C, 49C Camera ID switch 23A + key 23B-key 24A, 24B Trigger switch 25 Image / sound information switch 26 Playback mode switch 27 Recording / playback switch Chi 47 magneto-optical disk drive 48 the magneto-optical disc

Continuation of front page (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G06T 1/00 G11B 27/00 H04N 5/76 H04N 5/907

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] (1)Shooting that generates electrical signals corresponding to the subject image
Image means; The electric signal generated by the imaging means is converted into a digital signal
A / D conversion means for converting to Image data which is a digital signal output of the A / D conversion means;
Recording means for recording data on a recording medium as an image file
When, Under the root directory set on the recording medium,
The image file in a form having a header section and a data section.
Is stored in a separate control file.
File related information and the turtle used to capture the image
And data for identifying the camera in ASCII code.
Control file forming means.
Digital camera. 2. The control file forming means according to claim 1, wherein
Records information indicating the image playback procedure as image-related information
2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
A digital camera according to claim 1.