JP4253395B2 - Electronic camera - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an electronic camera that performs imaging using a solid-state imaging device such as a CCD two-dimensional image sensor, and more particularly to an electronic camera that can capture not only still images but also moving images.
[0002]
[Prior art]
A subject image is imaged on a solid-state image sensor, for example, a CCD two-dimensional image sensor, by an imaging optical system and converted into an electrical signal, and the resulting still image data is recorded on a recording medium such as a semiconductor memory or a magnetic disk. So-called electronic cameras that record images are becoming widespread.
[0003]
An electronic camera having a so-called continuous shooting function that captures not only still images but also a plurality of still images that are temporally continuous as the capacity of a memory used as a recording medium increases and the image processing speed increases. Has also been developed. With such a continuous shooting function, a still image can be taken without missing a photo opportunity.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, although the capacity of the recording medium can be increased, if continuous shooting is performed with an electronic camera, the capacity required for the recording medium becomes enormous or the time for continuous shooting is limited. Therefore, it is necessary to reduce the amount of data per still image, and it becomes difficult to ensure high image quality.
[0005]
In addition, when a desired image is selected from a large number of still images obtained by continuous shooting, it is necessary to erase unnecessary still images that were not selected in order to effectively use the capacity of the recording medium. However, for this purpose, it is necessary to repeatedly perform an operation of deleting unnecessary still images one by one. Such an individual erasing operation of still images is not only very complicated, but there is a risk that the necessary still images may be accidentally erased inadvertently.
[0006]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an electronic camera that can reliably obtain a high-quality still image without missing a photo opportunity and can reliably leave only a necessary still image by a simple operation. And
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above problems, the present invention obtains a desired still image at the same time as capturing a moving image by adding identification information to the desired still image in the moving image at the time of capturing the moving image. The main point is that we can do it.
[0008]
  That is, the electronic camera according to the present invention includes a first release unit that instructs to capture a still image, and a second release that instructs the start and stop of moving image capturing including a plurality of temporally continuous still images. Means, a recording means for recording a still image photographed by an instruction from the first release means and a moving image photographed by an instruction from the second release means, on a predetermined recording medium, and the second release means When shooting of a still image is instructed by the first release means in the state where shooting of a moving image is being performed in accordance with an instruction by, an instruction to shoot the still image in the moving image recorded on the recording medium is given Recording control means for adding identification information to the still image at the moment, and only the still image to which the identification information is added at the time of reproduction of the moving image recorded on the recording medium A reproduction control means for performing control toThe identification information added to the still image in the moving image recorded on the recording medium during the reproduction under the control of the reproduction control means is used as the identification information to be added to the other still image in the moving image. Editing means to change and setIt is characterized by comprising.
[0009]
  With such a configuration, it is possible to simultaneously obtain a desired still image at the time of shooting a moving image, and to selectively display only the still image.The moving image is composed of a plurality of independent still images. By changing the addition position of the identification information in this way, a more desirable still image can be selected again, so that a photo opportunity can be missed. The sex becomes smaller.
[0012]
Further, in the present invention, from the moving images recorded on the recording medium, the still images to which no identification information is added are collectively erased, and the still images to which the remaining identification information is added are recorded as independent still images. May further comprise organizing means for updating and recording on the recording medium. In this case, the identification information may be deleted from the still image to which the remaining identification information is added.
[0013]
In this way, by leaving only the necessary still images and erasing unnecessary still images at a time, it is possible to effectively use a recording medium with limited capacity while simplifying the operation, and it is possible to mistake the necessary still images. Can reduce the possibility of erasing.
[0014]
Furthermore, it is preferable that the first release means and the second release means in the present invention are arranged at positions separated to be operated with different fingers. By doing this, you can prevent erroneous operations. If you want to shoot a normal still image by mistake, you shoot a moving image. Conversely, if you want to shoot a moving image, take a still image. The possibility that it will end up decreases.
[0015]
More preferably, for example, the first release means is set to a position operated with an index finger, and the second release means is set to a position operated with a thumb, so that a still camera that has been widely used in general than before is widely used. And video camera operability can be inherited, eliminating the possibility of operating both cameras incorrectly.
[0016]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is an external view of an electronic camera according to an embodiment of the present invention. This electronic camera is roughly composed of a camera body 1 and a lens barrel 2. In addition to the optical viewfinder 3, the camera body 1 is provided with a still image release button 4, a moving image release button 5, a playback button 6, a plus / minus key 7, and an erase button 8 as an operation unit. A color liquid crystal display (LCD) 23, a still image recording / displaying LED 24, and a moving image recording / displaying LED 25, which will be described later, are provided.
[0017]
Next, a detailed configuration inside the electronic camera according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.
In FIG. 2, the subject light passes through an imaging lens 11 provided in the lens barrel 2, and then the amount of light is controlled by the diaphragm 12. The imaging lens 11 is driven by an AF motor 13, and the diaphragm 12 is driven by a diaphragm motor 15. Subject light that has passed through the imaging lens 11 and the aperture 12 is guided into the camera body 1 and enters a CCD two-dimensional color image sensor (hereinafter simply referred to as a CCD) 15 that is a color solid-state imaging device. As a result, a subject image is formed on the imaging surface of the CCD 15.
[0018]
The CCD 15 is configured by arranging a plurality of pixels that perform photoelectric conversion in a two-dimensional matrix to form an imaging surface, and further arranging a color filter on the imaging surface, and is driven and controlled by the CCD driver 16. Signal charges corresponding to the subject image formed on the imaging surface are accumulated. The signal charge accumulated on the imaging surface is read from the CCD 15 as an electrical signal called a pixel signal.
[0019]
The pixel signal read from the CCD 15 is converted into a digital signal by the A / D converter 17 and then input to the AE (automatic exposure) processing unit 18, the AF (automatic focus adjustment) processing unit 19, and the image processing unit 20. Is done.
[0020]
The AE processing unit 18 receives the digitized pixel signal output from the A / D converter 17 and performs arithmetic processing mainly based on the cumulative addition of the pixel signal from each pixel. Based on the cumulative addition value, the subject An AE evaluation value corresponding to the brightness of the image is obtained.
[0021]
The AF processing unit 12 receives the digitized pixel signal output from the A / D converter 17 and extracts, for example, a high-frequency component of the pixel signal for one screen by a high-pass filter, and performs cumulative addition on this. The AF evaluation value corresponding to the contour component amount on the high frequency side is calculated by performing the above calculation process.
[0022]
The image processing unit 20 generates a color image signal of a predetermined format by performing auto white balance, color signal separation, CDS (correlated double sampling) and other processes on the pixel signal.
[0023]
The color image signal generated by the image processing unit 20 is temporarily stored in a buffer memory 21 composed of, for example, a D-RAM. The color image signal read from the buffer memory 21 is guided to the display processing unit 22 where it is converted into a form suitable for display output, and then supplied to a color liquid crystal display (LCD) 23 such as a TFT system and displayed as an image. Is done. The display processing unit 22 is also connected with a still image recording display LED 24 and a moving image recording display LED 25.
[0024]
A compression / decompression processing unit 26 is further connected to the buffer memory 21, and a recording / reproduction processing unit 27 is connected to the compression / decompression processing unit 26. The recording / reproduction processing unit 27 performs processing of recording image data and accompanying data on the recording medium 28 and reproducing image data and accompanying data from the recording medium 28. As the recording medium 28, a memory card composed of a semiconductor memory such as a card type flash memory is generally used. However, the recording medium 28 is not limited to a memory card, and a magnetic recording medium such as a hard disk or a floppy disk. Etc., various forms can be used.
[0025]
The compression / decompression processing unit 26 reads out the image signal stored in the buffer memory 21 and performs compression (encoding) processing, thereby forming a compression processing unit suitable for recording on the recording medium 28; The image processing apparatus includes an expansion processing unit that reads out image data recorded on the recording medium 28 and performs expansion (decoding) processing. As a compression processing method, for example, the motion JPEG method is used, but is not limited thereto. The decompressed image signal is temporarily stored in the buffer memory 21 and appropriately displayed on the color liquid crystal display 23 via the display processing unit 22.
[0026]
The system controller 29 controls each unit based on processing results of the AE processing unit 18 and the AF processing unit 19 and a command from the operation unit 30, and is configured using a CPU. Specifically, the system controller 29 includes an image processing unit 20, a buffer memory 21, a display processing unit 22, a compression / decompression processing unit 26, a recording / reproduction processing unit 27, a motor driver 41 that drives the AF motor 13 and the aperture motor 14. , 42 are controlled.
[0027]
That is, the system controller 29 controls the motor driver 42 based on the AE evaluation value obtained by the AE processing unit 18, controls the amount of light by controlling the diaphragm 12 via the diaphragm motor 14, and further controls the CCD driver. By controlling the charge accumulation time of the CCD 15 via 16, automatic exposure (AE) processing is performed. Further, the system controller 29 controls the motor driver 41 based on the AF evaluation value obtained by the AF processing unit 19 and moves the imaging lens 11 in the optical axis direction via the AF motor 13 to perform automatic focus adjustment (AF ) Process.
[0028]
The operation unit 30 generates command signals for performing various operations based on operations by the user of the camera and transmits them to the system controller 29. Specifically, the operation unit 30 is provided with a first stage release switch 31, a second stage release switch 32, and a moving image release switch 33 as switches for instructing photographing.
[0029]
The first-stage release switch 31 generates a command signal for starting AE processing and AF processing, which are preliminary operations performed prior to a still image capturing operation. The second stage release switch 32 receives the command signal generated by the first stage release switch 32 and generates a command signal for starting an actual imaging operation of a still image. The moving image release switch 33 is for instructing start and stop of moving image shooting.
[0030]
Further, the operation unit 30 has a reproduction switch 34 for instructing reproduction of still images and moving images, a plus / minus key 35 for instructing a reproduction direction at the time of reproduction, and still images recorded on the recording medium 28. An erasing switch 36 for instructing erasing of the moving image is also provided.
[0031]
Referring to FIG. 1, the first-stage release switch 31 and the second-stage release switch 32, which are still image release switches, are switches that are turned on when the still image release button 4 is pressed. When the release button 4 is pressed halfway, only the first-stage release switch 31 is turned on to instruct to take a still image, and AE processing and AF processing, which are preliminary operations prior to the photographing operation, are controlled by the system controller 29. Be started.
[0032]
When the release button 4 for still images is fully pressed, the second-stage release switch 32 is also turned on, recording of still images is instructed by control by the system controller 29, and recording of still image data compressed on the recording medium 28 is performed. Is done. At this time, under the control of the display processing unit 22 by the system controller 29, the still image recording / displaying LED 24 is turned on, whereby the user can confirm that the still image is being captured and recorded.
[0033]
The moving image release switch 33 is a switch that is turned on when the moving image release button 5 is operated. When the moving image release switch 33 is turned on, the moving image release switch 33 includes a plurality of temporally continuous still image data. The start and stop of shooting of moving image image data is instructed. Based on this instruction, the image data of the moving image shot under the control of the system controller 29 is compressed in the same manner as the image data of the still image, and then recorded on the recording medium 28. At this time, the moving image recording / displaying LED 25 is turned on by the control of the display processing unit 22 by the system controller 29, so that the user can confirm that the moving image has been shot and recorded.
[0034]
Here, as shown in FIG. 1, the still image release button 4 and the moving image release button 5 are disposed at positions separated so as to be operated with different fingers. Can be prevented from being operated by mistake. In particular, the still image release button 4 is provided at a position operated with an index finger, and the moving image release button 5 is provided at a position operated with a thumb. The operability of the camera is inherited, and the possibility of erroneous operation can be more reliably eliminated.
[0035]
The playback switch 34 is turned on when the playback button 6 is pressed. When the playback switch 34 is turned on, the image data recorded on the recording medium 28 is played back under the control of the system controller 29. After the expansion process, the image is displayed on the color liquid crystal display 23. The plus / minus switch 35 is a switch that is operated by operating the plus / minus key 7, and can thereby change the reproduction direction during reproduction between the forward direction and the reverse direction.
[0036]
The erasure switch 35 is an on-state switch when the erasure button 8 is pressed. By turning on the erasure switch 35, it is possible to perform selective erasure of still images or batch erasure of moving images.
[0037]
In addition to the various controls described above, the system controller 29 (a) recording control for adding identification information to a still image, (b) reproduction control for reproducing only a still image to which identification information is added, (c It has a function of performing control peculiar to the present invention, such as :) editing for changing and changing identification information, and (d) organizing for updating and recording still images on the recording medium 28. Hereafter, each control of these (a) (b) (c) (d) is demonstrated easily.
[0038]
First, in the recording control of (a), when shooting of a still image by an operation of the still image release button 5 is instructed while a moving image is being shot by an instruction by the operation of the moving image release button 4, Control for adding identification information to a corresponding still image in a moving image recorded on the recording medium 28, that is, a still image shot at the moment when the still image release button 5 is operated, is performed on the recording / reproduction processing unit 27. Do. In this embodiment, the identification information is added by setting a predetermined flag for the corresponding still image.
[0039]
In the reproduction control of (b), the recording / reproduction processing unit 27 is controlled to sequentially reproduce only the still images to which the identification information is added when reproducing the moving image recorded on the recording medium 28, that is, the flag is set. Do it.
[0040]
In the editing of (c), the identification information added to the still image in the moving image recorded on the recording medium 28 based on the instruction from the user at the time of reproduction under the reproduction control of (b) Change the identification information to be added to other still images in the image. That is, a process for appropriately rewriting the flag set for a still image in a moving image with respect to another still image is performed via the recording / reproduction processing unit 27.
[0041]
In the arrangement of (d), still images with no identification information added, that is, with no flag set, are collectively erased from the moving images recorded on the recording medium 28, and the remaining flag is set. The recording / reproduction processing unit 27 is controlled to update and record the image as a new still image. At this time, the still image with the flag set may be updated and recorded on the recording medium 28 by erasing the set flag.
[0042]
Next, a procedure for photographing (recording) a still image and a moving image according to this embodiment will be described with reference to a flowchart shown in FIG. These operations are controlled by the system controller 29.
[0043]
First, after the initial setting in step A1, it is checked whether the still image release switches 31, 32 are on (step A2). If both the still image release switches 31, 32 are on, the moving image release button 5 is turned on at this time. It is checked whether or not a moving image is being photographed by an instruction by operation (step A3). Here, if a moving image is being shot, that is, if a plurality of still images that are temporally continuous are being shot, a flag is set for the corresponding still image in the moving image (step A4). A still image is taken one by one (step A5).
[0044]
That is, in step A4, when the still image release switches 31 and 32 are turned on, that is, at the moment when the still image release button 4 is fully pressed, a still image captured as a moving image is displayed as a desired still image. A flag, which is identification information indicating the presence, is set. This flag is added to the corresponding still image data in the moving image data (moving image file) obtained by compressing the moving image under the control of the system controller 29 and recorded on the recording medium 28.
[0045]
On the other hand, when the still image release switches 31 and 32 are not turned on in step A2, it is checked whether or not the moving image release switch 33 is turned on (step A6). If the moving image release switch 33 is turned on, further moving image shooting is performed. It is checked whether it is in the middle (step A7). Here, if the moving image is not being shot, it is determined that the user has instructed the start of moving image shooting (step A8). If the moving image is being shot, the user moves the moving image. It is determined that an instruction to stop image shooting is given, and the shooting of moving images is stopped (step A9).
[0046]
Then, each time the processing of steps A4, A5, A8, A9 is completed, the processing returns to step A2 and the above processing is repeated. In this way, as shown in FIG. 4, when the moving image is captured, the still image release button 4 is pressed at the timing <1>, <2>, <3> when the desired still image is obtained by the user. Thus, a desired still image can be shot by setting a flag for the still image.
[0047]
Next, a procedure for reproducing an image shot and recorded as described above will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. These operations are controlled by the system controller 29.
[0048]
First, an index based on thumbnail images is displayed (step B1), and it is determined whether a selection operation has been performed by the user based on the index (step B2). As a result of this determination, when a selection operation is performed, it is checked whether or not the reproduced image is a moving image (step B3). If it is not a moving image, the image is displayed as a still image (step B4). While each still image is being displayed, it is checked whether or not the delete key 8 has been operated within a predetermined time (step B5). If the delete key 8 is operated, the displayed still image is deleted (step B6). .
[0049]
On the other hand, if the image reproduced in step B3 is a moving image, it is checked whether or not the continuous reproduction mode is set (step B7). If it is the continuous reproduction mode, a moving image reproduction process is performed (step B8). ). In this moving image playback process, the playback speed may be slower than the actual speed. After this moving image reproduction process, it is checked whether or not the delete key has been operated (step B9). If the erasure key 8 is not operated, it is checked whether or not the reproduction is finished (step B10), and the moving image reproduction process of step B8 is continued until the reproduction is finished. When the erasure key 8 is operated in step B9, the moving images being reproduced in step B8 are collectively erased (step B11).
When it is determined in step B7 that the playback mode is not the continuous playback mode, the following skip playback processing is performed (step B12).
[0050]
Next, the skip reproduction process in step B12 in FIG. 5 will be described in detail using the flowchart shown in FIG.
In the skip reproduction process, first, among the moving image files recorded on the recording medium 28, a still image with a flag set is searched (step C1), and only those still images are skipped and reproduced (step C2). . It is checked whether the plus / minus key 7 is operated during the skip reproduction (step C3).
[0051]
Here, when the plus / minus key 7 is operated, an image switching display is performed according to the operation result (step C4), and the flag is rewritten (step C5).
[0052]
That is, in step C4, when the plus / minus key 7 is operated n times in the plus direction, among the still images set with the flag, n images later in time than the image displayed in step C2. When the image is switched and displayed and the plus / minus key 7 is operated m times in the minus direction, among the still images set with the flag, m images before the image displayed in step C2 in time. The image is switched and displayed. In step C5, the flag of the still image that has already been set at the time of shooting the moving image is canceled, and a new flag is set for the image that is switched and displayed in step C4.
[0053]
By changing the flag set for the still image in this way, the user can reselect the still image desired by the user, and the chance of missing a photo opportunity is substantially reduced.
[0054]
If the plus / minus key 7 is not operated in step C3, it is checked whether or not the erase key 8 is operated (step C6). If the erase key 8 is operated, the still image reproduced and displayed in step C2. The flag set to is canceled (step C7).
[0055]
If the delete key 8 has not been operated in step C6, it is determined that the reproduction and display of the final image of the still image set with the flag of the moving image file recorded in the recording medium 28 in step C8 has ended. Steps C2 to C7 are repeated.
[0056]
When the reproduction and display of the final image of the still image with the flag set is finished, an erase menu for inquiring the user whether or not to delete the still image with the flag set is displayed on the color liquid crystal display 23 ( Step C9). It is checked whether or not the user has instructed the erasure on the erasure menu (step C10). When the erasure is instructed, the user further instructs whether or not to erase the entire moving image file stored in the recording medium 28. It is checked whether or not it has been done (step C11).
[0057]
Here, if deletion of the entire moving image file is instructed in step C11, the entire moving image file is deleted at once (step C12). Otherwise, only a still image in which no flag is set in the moving image file is set. Are collectively erased, and the remaining still image with the flag set is updated and set as the final still image (step C13). In step C13, the flag set in the final still image may be canceled.
[0058]
In this way, from the moving image file recorded on the recording medium 28, still images with no flag set are erased at once, and the remaining still images with the flag set are stored as independent still images on the recording medium 28. By performing the update recording, the recording medium 28 can be effectively used without requiring a complicated operation. Further, the necessary still image is not mistakenly erased as in the prior art.
[0059]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the electronic camera of the present invention, by adding identification information to a desired still image in a moving image at the time of shooting the moving image, a high-quality still image without missing a photo opportunity It is possible to reliably capture only a necessary still image by a simple operation using this identification information.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is an external view of an electronic camera according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a detailed configuration of the electronic camera according to the embodiment.
FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of photographing (recording) operation of the electronic camera according to the embodiment.
FIG. 4 is a view for explaining timings of moving image release and still image release of the electronic camera according to the embodiment;
FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of a reproduction (display) operation of the electronic camera according to the embodiment.
FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure during skip playback of the electronic camera according to the embodiment;
[Explanation of symbols]
1 ... Camera body
2 ... Lens barrel
3 ... Optical finder
4. Still image release button
5 ... Video release button
6 ... Play button
7 ... Plus / Minus key
8 ... Erase button
11 ... Imaging lens
12 ... Aperture
13 ... AF motor
14: Aperture motor
15 ... CCD (solid-state image sensor)
16 ... CCD driver
17 ... A / D converter
18 ... Automatic exposure processing section
19 ... Automatic focus adjustment processing section
20: Image processing unit
21 ... Buffer memory
22 ... Display processing section
23 ... Color LCD
24. Still image recording display LED
25. Moving image recording display LED
26: Compression / decompression processor
27: Recording / playback processing unit
28. Recording medium
29 ... System controller
30 ... Display section
31, 32 ... Still image release switch
33 ... Video release switch
34 ... Playback switch
35 ... Plus / Minus key
36 ... Erase switch
41, 42 ... Motor driver

Claims (3)

First release means for instructing to capture a still image;
A second release means for instructing start and stop of capturing a moving image composed of a plurality of still images that are temporally continuous;
Recording means for recording a still image photographed by an instruction from the first release means and a moving image photographed by an instruction from the second release means on a predetermined recording medium;
When shooting of a still image is instructed by the first release means in a state where shooting of a moving image is being performed by an instruction from the second release means, the moving image in the moving image recorded on the recording medium Recording control means for adding identification information to a still image at the moment when shooting of the still image is instructed;
Reproduction control means for performing control to sequentially reproduce only the still image to which the identification information is added when reproducing the moving image recorded on the recording medium ;
At the time of playback under the control of the playback control means, the identification information added to the still image in the moving image recorded on the recording medium is changed to the identification information added to the other still image in the moving image. Editing means to set,
An electronic camera comprising: From the moving image recorded on the recording medium, the still images without the identification information added are erased at once, and the still images with the remaining identification information added are made independent still images by the recording means. The electronic camera according to claim 1, further comprising organizing means for updating and recording on a recording medium. 2. The electronic camera according to claim 1, wherein the first release unit and the second release unit are arranged at positions separated to be operated with different fingers.

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