JP2002191009A - Digital camera and its operation control method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a digital camera that transmits image data to a personal computer even when an image pickup mode is set. SOLUTION: The digital camera picks up an object in the image pickup mode and records image data expressing an object image to a memory card. When an idle capacity of the memory card gets smaller and the memory card records data of a quantity in excess of a prescribed threshold, the digital camera transmits the data recorded in the memory card to the personal computer while the image pickup mode is set (step 37). The digital camera deletes the data that are transmitted to the personal computer (step 38). Thus, the idle capacity of the memory card is increased and the digital camera can succeedingly record image data.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a digital camera (digital still camera, digital movie camera,
(Includes portable information devices with camera functions)
And its operation control method.

[0002]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Digital still cameras record image data obtained by imaging a subject on a recording medium such as a memory card. Recording media such as memory cards have a finite capacity. When the remaining capacity becomes small, for example, the image data recorded on the memory card is transmitted to the personal computer and stored on the hard disk of the personal computer. When transmission to the personal computer is completed, the memory
The image data recorded on the card is deleted.

[0003]

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION A digital still camera is provided with a mode setting button and the like. When a subject is imaged, an imaging mode is set by the mode setting button.
When image data is transmitted to a personal computer, a transfer mode different from the imaging mode is set by a mode setting button.

[0004] However, unless the mode is changed, it is not possible to switch between imaging of a subject and transmission of image data. It is not possible to transmit image data recorded on a memory card to a personal computer or the like while taking an image.

[0005] It is an object of the present invention to enable image data recorded in a camera to be transmitted to the outside of the camera even in an imaging mode.

A digital camera according to the present invention captures an object in an imaging mode and outputs image data representing the image of the object. The digital camera outputs the image data in response to a recording command. Recording control means for recording image data on a recording medium, determining means for determining whether or not the data amount of data recorded on the recording medium is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value; In response to the determination that the threshold value or more has been reached, in the same mode as the imaging mode, transmitting means for transmitting data recorded on the recording medium to an external recording medium, and data transmitted by the transmitting means. An erasing means for erasing corresponding data from the recording medium is provided.

[0007] The present invention also provides a method suitable for the camera. That is, in the imaging mode, an object is imaged, image data representing the image of the object is obtained, and in response to a recording command being given, the image data obtained by imaging is recorded on a recording medium, and recorded on the recording medium. It is determined whether the data amount of the selected data is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value. In response to the determination that the data amount is equal to or greater than the predetermined threshold value, in the same mode as the imaging mode, the recording medium Is transmitted to an external recording medium, and data corresponding to the transmitted data is erased from the recording medium.

According to the present invention, a subject is imaged in the imaging mode. When a recording command is given by pressing a shutter release button or the like, image data representing a subject image is recorded on a recording medium.

Data recorded on a recording medium (including not only moving image or still image data but also sound data)
It is determined whether or not the data amount of the
If it is equal to or more than the predetermined threshold value, it can be considered that the next recording cannot be performed. In the same mode as the imaging mode, data recorded on the recording medium is transmitted to an external recording medium such as a personal computer. Data corresponding to the transmitted data is erased from the recording medium. Since an empty area is created in the recording medium by erasing the data, the next image data can be recorded.

Transmission of data to an external recording medium is performed in the same mode as the imaging mode without changing to the transfer mode. It is possible to transmit image data recorded on a recording medium while capturing an image of a subject.

The transmission and deletion of the data recorded on the recording medium may be started from the data with the oldest recorded date, or may be designated by the user. Also, the processing may be performed in the order of larger or smaller data amount. If data is transmitted and deleted in order of increasing data amount, the free space of the recording medium increases. If data is transmitted and deleted in order of decreasing data amount, transmission time can be reduced.
It may be deleted for each type of data.

Preferably, the transmitting means and the erasing means repeat transmission of data by the transmitting means and erasure of data by the erasing means until the judging means determines that the data amount is equal to or less than a predetermined threshold value. The apparatus further includes first control means for controlling the means.

Second control means for controlling the transmitting means and the erasing means so as to perform data transmission by the transmitting means and erasure of data by the erasing means when the free space of the external recording medium is equal to or more than a predetermined value. May be further provided.

When the free space of the external recording medium is small, recording of image data by the camera can be prohibited.

[0015]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the present invention, and shows an electric configuration of a digital still camera 1 connected to a personal computer 20.

The overall operation of the digital still camera 1 is controlled by the CPU 6.

The digital still camera 1 has a mode setting switch 10 and a shutter release button 11 for setting modes such as an imaging mode and a reproduction mode.
It is included. A signal indicating the mode set by the mode setting switch 10 and a signal indicating that the shutter release button 11 has been pressed are input to the CPU 6.

When the imaging mode is set by the mode setting button 10, an object image is formed on the light receiving surface of the CCD 3 by the imaging lens 2. The video signal representing the subject image is CCD
3 and converted into digital image data in an analog / digital conversion circuit 4. The converted digital image data is input to the image processing circuit 5.

In the image processing circuit 5, predetermined image processing such as gamma correction and white balance adjustment is performed. The image data output from the image processing circuit 5 is given to the display control device 13, and the subject image is displayed on the display screen of the display device 14.

When the shutter release button 11 is pressed, the image data output from the image processing circuit 5 is given to the buffer memory 7 and is temporarily stored. Image data is read from the buffer memory 7 and input to the image processing circuit 5. In the image processing circuit 5, predetermined image processing such as data compression is performed. The image data subjected to the predetermined image processing in the image processing circuit 5 is given to the memory card 12 via the card interface 8,
Be recorded.

When the reproduction mode is set by the mode setting button 10, image data is read from the memory card 12 and input to the display control device 13 via the card interface 8. The display device 14 is controlled by the display control device 13, and an image represented by the image data read from the memory card 12 is displayed on the display screen.

Further, the digital still camera 1 according to this embodiment is a personal computer (PDA).
(It may also be called personal digital assistants, storage devices, etc.). For data transmission, the digital still camera 1 includes a serial interface 9. The serial interface 9 can transmit data recorded on the memory card 12 to the personal computer 20 by wire or wirelessly. Also personal computer 20
The data transmitted from the serial interface 9
Received by

The memory card 12 is capable of recording sound data in addition to image data (including moving image data and still image data).

FIG. 2 and FIG.
9 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure when the camera 1 is set to an imaging mode.

It is assumed that the imaging mode has been set by the mode setting button 10. When the imaging mode is set, the subject is imaged as described above, and the subject image obtained by the imaging is displayed on the display screen of the display device 14.

When the shutter release button 11 is pressed by the user (YES in step 31), the shutter release button 11 is temporarily given to the buffer memory 7 as described above, and predetermined image processing is performed in the image processing circuit 5. (Step
32). The image data subjected to the image processing is provided to the memory card 12 and recorded (step 33).

If the mode is not changed to another mode by the mode setting button 10 and the imaging mode is still set (YES in step 34), the data amount of all data recorded on the memory card 12 is reduced to a predetermined value. It is determined whether the threshold is exceeded (step 35). This threshold value will be such a value that an empty space is left such that image data representing an image for a normal frame can be recorded on the memory card 12. Needless to say, the user may be able to set the threshold value.

If the threshold is not exceeded (step 35)
And NO), the processing of steps 31 to 34 is repeated.

If the data amount of all data recorded on the memory card 12 exceeds the threshold value (YES in step 35), the digital still camera 1 sends the personal computer 20 to the personal computer 20. You will be asked if there is free space on the 20 hard disks.

In the personal computer 20, the free space is detected in response to an inquiry from the digital still camera 1. If there is free space on the hard disk of the personal computer 20, data indicating this is transmitted to the digital still camera 1. It goes without saying that communication between the digital still camera 1 and the personal computer 20 is possible only between specific devices using ID data or the like.

If the hard disk of the personal computer 20 capable of communicating with the digital still camera 1 has free space (YES in step 36), the memory card 12
Is transmitted from the digital still camera 1 to the personal computer 20 (step 37). When the data is transmitted to the personal computer 20, the data corresponding to the data transmitted from the memory card 12 is deleted (step 38).

It is determined again whether the data amount of the data recorded on the memory card 12 exceeds the threshold value (step 39). If the data amount still exceeds the threshold (YES in step 39), step 36
To 38 are repeated.

When the data transmitted from the digital still camera 1 is received by the personal computer 20 (either wired or wireless), the data is recorded on the hard disk of the personal computer 20. If necessary, the image data recorded on the hard disk will be recorded on another recording medium such as a new memory card.

Since the free space of the memory card 12 loaded in the digital still camera 1 increases, the imaging of the subject and the recording of image data representing the subject image can be continued. In particular, data recorded on the memory card 12 loaded in the digital still camera 1 can be transmitted to the personal computer 20 without changing the mode from the imaging mode to the transfer mode or the like by using the mode setting button 10. The process of transmitting data to the personal computer 20 can be performed while imaging the subject. It is possible to prevent interruption of imaging of a subject and recording of image data caused by a small free space of the memory card 12 beforehand.

If there is no free space on the hard disk of the personal computer 20 (NO in step 36), data cannot be recorded on the personal computer 20, and when data is deleted from the memory card 12, the data is lost. . For this reason, the imaging is stopped. For example, a warning statement may be displayed on the display screen of the display device 14. If necessary, a new memory card having an empty capacity is loaded into the digital still camera 1.

In the above-described embodiment, data transmission from the digital still camera 1 to the personal computer 1 may be performed from the oldest data recorded on the memory card. Also, when sound data and image data are mixed, the memory card 12 of either the sound data or the image data is used.
May be transmitted in the order of the oldest to the oldest. Further, when still image data and moving image data are mixed on the memory card 12, the personal computer 20 starts with the data recorded in the oldest order of either type of moving image data or still image data. You may make it transmit. Alternatively, the data may be transmitted to the personal computer 20 in the order of the file numbers (larger or smaller).

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 shows an electrical configuration of a digital still camera connected to a personal computer.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of the digital still camera.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of the digital still camera.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 digital still camera 3 CCD 5 image processing circuit 6 CPU 9 serial interface 10 mode setting button 11 shutter release button 12 memory card 20 personal computer

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI theme coat ゛ (reference) // H04N 101: 00 H04N 5/92 HF term (reference) 5C022 AA13 AC42 AC52 AC69 5C052 AA17 CC01 DD02 EE08 GA02 GA06 GA08 GA09 GB01 GB06 GD03 GE06 GE08 GF04 GF06 5C053 FA08 FA27 GB36 KA05 KA24 KA25 LA02 LA11 LA15 5C073 BC04

Claims (4)

[Claims] In an imaging mode, an object is imaged,
Imaging means for outputting image data representing a subject image; recording control means for recording image data output from the imaging means on a recording medium in response to a recording instruction being given;
Determining means for determining whether or not the data amount of the data recorded on the recording medium is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value; responding to the determination means determining that the data amount is equal to or greater than the predetermined threshold value; Transmitting means for transmitting data recorded on the recording medium to an external recording medium, and erasing means for erasing data corresponding to data transmitted by the transmitting means from the recording medium in the same mode as the imaging mode. Digital camera with, 2. The transmitting means and the erasing means so as to repeat transmission of data by the transmitting means and erasure of data by the erasing means until the judging means judges that the data amount is equal to or less than a predetermined threshold value. 2. The digital camera according to claim 1, further comprising a first control unit for controlling the digital camera. 3. A second control means for controlling the transmitting means and the erasing means so as to perform data transmission by the transmitting means and erasure of data by the erasing means when the free space of the external recording medium is equal to or more than a predetermined value. 2. The digital camera according to claim 1, further comprising control means. 4. In an imaging mode, an object is imaged,
Image data representing an object image is obtained, and in response to a recording command being given, the image data obtained by imaging is recorded on a recording medium, and the data amount of the data recorded on the recording medium is a predetermined amount. It is determined whether or not the data amount is equal to or greater than a threshold value. In response to the determination that the data amount is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value, the data recorded on the recording medium is transferred to an external recording medium in the same mode as the imaging mode. A method for controlling operation of a digital camera, comprising: transmitting and erasing data corresponding to the transmitted data from the recording medium.