JPH04134985A - Electronic still camera apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To store digital data correctly all the time by detecting a storage area with a semiconductor memory becomes defect, and storing the digital data in other storage area. CONSTITUTION:Every time when recording data in respective clusters 451, 452,..., 45n, a CPU 20 reads out the data from the clusters 451, 452,..., 45n, these read data and the data stored in a main body 11 of a camera are compared one by one, and it is checked whether an error is generated or not, and when the error is generated, the same data are recorded in other cluster, and the cluster where the error is generated is not used. Thus, the data are always stored without being destroyed as well as it is possible not to use the cluster discriminated as defect when recording the next data.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Object of the Invention] (Industrial Application Field) The present invention relates to an electronic still camera device that converts a photographed optical image into digital image data and records it in a semiconductor memory, and particularly relates to an electronic still camera device that converts a captured optical image into digital image data and records it in a semiconductor memory. This invention deals with the problem of digital image data not being recorded correctly due to memory defects.

(Prior Art) As is well known, in general cameras, the captured optical image is formed on a silver halide film, so unless the film is chemically processed and developed, the captured image cannot be viewed. is not possible.

In response, in recent years, electronic photographic systems have been developed that eliminate the need for complicated chemical processing by converting the captured optical image into an electrical image signal and displaying the image on a television receiver. , is becoming popular in the market. An example of such an electronic photographic system is a still image recording system.

In this still image recording system, a tape, disk, drum, or the like made of magnetic material is attached to a camera body as a recording medium in the form of a cassette or cartridge. After taking a picture and recording the image signal on a recording medium, the recording medium is removed from the camera body and attached to a playback device, and the still artist is displayed on a television receiver connected to the playback device. be.

However, in this type of still image recording system, since the recording medium is made of a magnetic material, a magnetic head and a drive mechanism for the recording medium are required for recording and reproduction.
Problems arise in that the configuration becomes more complex and larger, and power consumption also increases.

Therefore, recent efforts have been made to convert image signals into digital data and store it in a semiconductor memory, thereby eliminating the need for a magnetic head, drive mechanism, etc., thereby reducing size, weight, and power consumption. In particular, in recent years, with the advancement of semiconductor element packaging technology, memory cards with built-in semiconductor memory have come into practical use, and the development of memory cards for use as recording media has been actively carried out. It is.

However, in conventional electronic still camera devices that use a memory card as a recording medium as described above, even if a certain storage area of the semiconductor memory becomes defective, digitized image data is stored in that storage area as is. As a result, the digital image data will not be stored correctly, resulting in a problem that the reproduced image will be degraded compared to the original.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) As described above, conventional electronic still camera devices have a problem in that when the semiconductor memory becomes defective, digital data is no longer stored correctly and reproduced images deteriorate.

Therefore, this invention was made in consideration of the above circumstances, and by detecting that a certain storage area of a semiconductor memory has become defective and storing the digital data in another storage area, the digital data is always correctly stored. An object of the present invention is to provide an extremely good electronic still camera device that can store data.

[Structure of the Invention (Means for Solving the Problem) The electronic still camera device according to the present invention is composed of a conversion means for converting a photographed optical image into digital image data, and a semiconductor memory element, each of which has a certain amount of data. A first recording area which is divided into a plurality of blocks each having a storage capacity and in which digital image data output from the conversion means is distributed and recorded in the plurality of blocks, and a plurality of blocks constituting the first recording area. A second recording area in which information indicating whether or not a block is vacant is recorded, and information indicating continuity of digital image data distributed and recorded in a plurality of blocks constituting the first recording area is recorded. The target is a recording medium having a third recording area.

and a detection means for detecting the presence or absence of an error by reading the digital image data recorded from the block and comparing it with the digital image data before recording each time digital image data is recorded in the block of the recording medium; A first recording means records data identical to the digital image data recorded in the block determined to have an error in another block in a state in which a detection result of an error is output from the detection means; A second recording means is provided for recording information to the effect that the block determined to have the error is not empty in the second recording area in a state where the error detection result is output.

(Operation) According to the above configuration, each time digital image data is recorded in a block, the digital image data is read from that block and compared with the digital image data before recording to check whether an error has occurred. However, if there is an error, the same data is recorded in another block, and information indicating that the block where the error occurred is not empty is recorded, so that the digital image data is always stored correctly without being destroyed. At the same time, blocks determined to be defective can be made unusable when recording the next digital image data.

(Example) Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. First, the electronic still camera device described in this embodiment includes a camera body 11, as shown in FIG.
A memory card 12 that is removably attached to this camera body 11
It is composed of. Then, in the camera body 11,
Like a normal camera, the lens barrel 13. A finder 14 and a shutter 15 are provided, and a memory card 12 is provided.
An opening 16 is formed into which the holder is inserted.

Next, FIG. 5 shows the internal structure of the camera body 11. That is, in the figure, reference numeral 17 denotes a lens disposed within the lens barrel 13. An optical image of the subject is taken in by this lens 17, and a CC, for example, disposed on the back side of the lens 17 captures an optical image of the subject.
The image is projected onto a solid-state image sensor 18 such as a charge coupled device (D).

The solid-state image sensor 18 outputs an analog electric signal (image signal) according to the brightness of the optical image projected through the lens 17, and this image signal is
The data is converted into digital image data by an A/D (analog/digital) conversion circuit 19 , and after band compression is performed by a band compression circuit 20 , it is supplied to a memory card control circuit 21 .

Further, 22 in FIG. 5 is a microphone placed outside the camera body. The audio signal output from the microphone 22 is converted into digital audio data by the A/D conversion circuit 23, subjected to predetermined data processing by the digital audio processing circuit 24, and then supplied to the memory card control circuit 21. .

Furthermore, 25 in Figure 5 is a CPU (central processing unit).
This controller performs overall control of the entire electronic still camera apparatus including the memory card 12, and for example, controls the drive system 2.
6, it controls the drive of the solid-state image sensor 18, controls the compression ratio of the band compression circuit 2o, and also controls the memory card control circuit 21 and the memory card 12.

Next, FIG. 6 shows the memory card control circuit 2.
1 and its surroundings are shown. That is, 27 in the figure is an I10 control circuit, and the above-mentioned band compression circuit 20
Alternatively, in order to exchange data between the CPU 25 and the memory card 12, input/output control is performed between them.

That is, the I10 control circuit 27 is supplied with digital image data output from the band compression circuit 20 via the data input terminal 28, and the data input terminal 29
Digital audio data output from the digital audio processing circuit 24 is supplied via the digital audio processing circuit 24. These digital image and audio data and data generated from the CPU 25 are sent to the memory card 12 from the data input/output terminal 30 via the I10 control circuit 27. Also, from memory card] 2 to data input/output terminal 3
The data supplied via 0 is ! The data is sent to the CPU 25 via the 7070 control 27.

Here, a semiconductor memory 31 is interposed and connected on the data line between the CPU 25 and the I10 control circuit 27, and an interface for data transfer speed is established between them. In other words, CPU25
The data input/output to the I10 control circuit 27 is serial data and low speed, while the data input/output to the I10 control circuit 27 is parallel data and high speed. serial data or parallel data is converted into parallel data or serial data, respectively.

In addition, 32 in FIG. 6 is an address generation circuit, and the CPU 25
generates address data corresponding to the initial address value specified by and the address value obtained by sequentially adding "1" to this initial address value, and this address data is sent to the memory card 12 via the address output terminal 33. .

Furthermore, 34 in FIG. 6 is a timing signal generation circuit, and C
Based on the designation from the PU 25, the I10 control circuit 27.
It generates a predetermined timing signal to the semiconductor memory 31 and the address generation circuit 32, and also generates a timing signal to the memory card 12 via the timing output terminal 35.

Next, as shown in FIG. 7, the memory card 12 is
It has a data input/output terminal 36 connected to the data input/output terminal 30 of the camera body 11.

This data input/output terminal 36 is connected to a plurality of semiconductor memories 3g, 38 . It is connected to each data input/output terminal of...

The memory card 12 also has an address input terminal 39 connected to the address output terminal 33 of the camera body 11. This address input terminal 39 is connected to the semiconductor memories 38, 38 . . . . are connected to each address input terminal and the chip select circuit 40. Note that the chip select circuit 40 selects the semiconductor memory 38 to be operated based on address data output from the camera body 11.

Further, the memory card 12 has a timing input terminal 41 connected to the timing output terminal 35 of the camera body 11. This timing input terminal 41 is connected to the semiconductor memories 38, 38, . ...01. are connected to each timing input terminal.

Here, FIG. 1 shows a plurality of semiconductor memories 38, 38 . . . . indicates a memory area configured by . That is, this memory area includes a cluster table area 42, a cluster start address area 43, and a cluster allocation area 4.
The cluster area 45 is roughly divided into four areas: a cluster area 45 and a cluster area 45.

The digital image or audio data output from the camera body 11 is recorded in the cluster area 45, which is divided into a plurality of blocks each having a certain storage capacity. Digital image data constituting one still image or digital audio data constituting one continuous audio (hereinafter referred to as one packet of data) is divided into multiple blocks and recorded. . This one block is called a cluster, and in FIG. 1, from the upper cluster in the figure, the first cluster 451 . Second cluster 452. ......, Nth cluster 45n
N clusters (N>1) called clusters are set. Therefore, for example, if a capacity for two clusters is required to record one packet of data, N/2 packets of data can be recorded.

Further, the cluster table area 42 includes each cluster 451, 452° of the cluster area 45.
This is an area where data indicating the usage status of the cluster area 45n is recorded, and as described above, the number of clusters in the cluster area 45 is N.
Therefore, each of these N clusters 451, 452 .
. . . 45n, each of which has a plurality of storage areas in which data indicating its usage status can be recorded. Specifically speaking, this cluster table area 4
As shown in FIG. 2, N bits (hereinafter referred to as cluster bits) 421, 422, . 2 correspond to the number of clusters in the cluster area 45. ......, 42n, each cluster bit 421, 422°...
..., 42n are each cluster 451.452.・・・・・・
...45n, respectively.

Then, any i-th cluster (1
≦i≦N), that is, when the i-th cluster is used, data “1” is written to the cluster bit 42i corresponding to the i-th cluster, and data is recorded in the i-th cluster. i.e. the i-th
When a cluster is unused, data "0°" is written in the cluster bit 421 corresponding to the i-th cluster. In the example of FIG.
9th. 10th. 11th. 12th. 18th. The 19th cluster has been used, and the 3rd cluster has been used. 4th. 7th, 8th, 13th
．． 14th. 15th. 16th. This indicates that the 17th, (N-1)th, and Nth clusters are unused.

Next, in the cluster start address area 43,
M packets (1≦M≦N) (packet 1 to packet)
M storage areas 431, 432. ...
..., 43m are provided, and each storage area 431,
432.・・・・・・In 43m, there is the cluster number (N
o, ), the start cluster No. is recorded. The cluster numbers of clusters in which data following the cluster indicated by the start cluster number recorded in the cluster start address area 43 is recorded are recorded in the cluster allocation area 44.

That is, in this cluster allocation area 44, each cluster 451, 452, .・
..., N storage areas 441 corresponding to 45n,
442. ..., 44n are provided, and these storage areas 441, 442 .・・・・・・ 44n has its clusters 451, 452. . . . The cluster number following 45n is recorded. Note that if there is no subsequent cluster, the storage areas 441 and 44
2. ..., data "0" is recorded in 44n.

Specifically, if one packet of data is recorded in the first and second clusters 451 and 452, as shown in FIG. Start cluster number indicating that the first data is recorded in the first cluster 451.

“1” is recorded. In addition, the storage area 44 corresponding to the first cluster 451 of the cluster allocation area 44
1, a cluster number “2” indicating that the cluster following the first cluster 451 is the second cluster 452 is recorded. Note that the storage area 442 corresponding to the second cluster 452 of the cluster allocation area 44 includes a second
Cluster No. "0°" indicating that there is no cluster following cluster 452, that is, that packet 1 ends at second cluster 452, is recorded.

When reading the data of packet 1 recorded as above, read the start cluster number "1" recorded in the storage area 431 corresponding to packet 1 of the cluster start address area 43, and check that the start cluster is the first cluster. 451, reads the cluster number "21" recorded in the storage area 441 corresponding to the first cluster 451 in the cluster allocation area 44, and identifies the cluster following the first cluster 451 as the second cluster 4.
52. After that, read the cluster number "0" recorded in the storage area 442 corresponding to the second cluster 452 of the cluster allocation area 44,
By recognizing that there is no cluster following the second cluster 451 and reading data from the first cluster 451 and the second cluster 452, the data of packet 1 can be obtained.

Note that the data writing and reading operations of the packet 1 described above are all performed by the CPU 2 provided in the camera body 11.
In this case, the first and second clusters 451 and 452 of the cluster table area 42
Data "1#" is written in the cluster bits 421 and 422 corresponding to both, indicating that the first and second clusters 451 and 452 have been used.

Next, consider recording the data of packet 2 while the data of packet 1 has been recorded as described above.

In this case, the first and second cluster table areas 42
Cluster bit 42 corresponding to clusters 451 and 452
Data “1” is recorded only in 1,422, and the other 3rd to
Assume that the cluster bits 423 to 42n corresponding to the nth clusters 453 to 45n are all data "0°." Then, the CPU 25 looks at the contents of the cluster table area 42 and determines that all the cluster bits 453 to 45n correspond to the nth clusters 453 to 45n. Recognizing that it is unused, the data of packet 2 is divided and recorded into a third cluster 453 and a fourth cluster 454, with the third cluster 453 as a start cluster.

At this time, the third cluster 453 which is the start cluster
When the writing of data to the third cluster 453 is completed, the CPU 25 reads out the data of this third cluster 453 and compares the read data point by point with the data stored in the camera body 11 to be sent to the memory card 12. By checking whether an error has occurred, it is confirmed whether the third cluster 453 is defective. Here, if there is no error in the comparison result, the CPU 25 determines that the third cluster 453 is normal, and records the continuation of the data recorded in the third cluster 453 in the fourth cluster 454. Then, when the writing of data to the fourth cluster 454 is completed, the CPU 25 again writes the data to the fourth cluster 454.
4 is read out, and the read data is compared point by point with the data stored on the camera body 11 side to check whether an error has occurred.

Here, if an error is detected, CPU2
5 determines that the fourth cluster 454 is defective, and
The same data recorded in the cluster 454 is recorded in the fifth cluster 455. After that, this fifth cluster 45
5, the CPU 25 reads out the data in the fifth cluster 455 again, compares the read data with the data stored in the camera body 11 side by side, and determines whether an error has occurred. Check. If there is no error in the comparison result, the CPU
25 determines that the fifth cluster 455 is normal, and recording of the data of packet 2 ends here.

In the state where the data of this packet 2 is recorded,
As shown in FIG. 3, a start cluster number “3” is recorded in the storage area 432 corresponding to packet 2 in the cluster start address area 43, indicating that the first data is recorded in the third cluster 453. Ru. Also,
Third cluster 45 in cluster allocation area 44
Cluster No. 5'' indicating that the cluster following the third cluster 453 is the fifth cluster 455 is recorded in the storage area 443 corresponding to No. 3. In the storage area 445, there is a cluster number ", which indicates that there is no cluster following the fifth cluster 455, that is, the packet 2 ends with this fifth cluster 455.
0'' is now recorded. That is, when reading the data of packet 2, the fourth cluster 454 is not read.

During the above operation, the CPU 25 reads the cluster bits 423 and 4 of the cluster table area 42 corresponding to the third and fifth clusters 453 and 455 in which data is recorded.
Cluster bit 4 of the cluster table area 42 corresponding to the fourth cluster 454 which is determined to be defective due to an error detected
24 is also recorded with data "1" indicating that it has been used. As a result, the fourth cluster 454 determined to be defective will not be used even when data subsequent to packet 3 is recorded next time.

Therefore, according to the embodiment described above, each cluster 45
1.452. ...... Every time data is recorded in 45n, the CPU 25 records the clusters 451, 452, etc.
..., reads the data from 45n, compares the read data point by point with the data stored on the camera body 11 side to check whether an error has occurred, and if there is an error, the same data is This method ensures that the cluster in which the error occurred is not used, so that the data is always stored correctly without being destroyed, and the cluster determined to be defective can be used when recording the next data. It can be eliminated.

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments, and can be implemented with various modifications without departing from the gist thereof.

[Effects of the Invention] As detailed above, according to the present invention, by detecting that a certain storage area of a semiconductor memory becomes defective and storing digital data in another storage area, digital data can always be stored. It is possible to provide an extremely good electronic still camera device that can store information correctly.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

The drawings show an embodiment of an electronic still camera device according to the present invention, and FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining a memory area of a semiconductor memory, and FIG. 2 shows details of a cluster table area of the same memory area. Figure 3 is a diagram explaining the operation by entering specific values in the same memory area, Figure 4 is an external view showing the camera body and memory card, and Figures 5 and 6 are respectively the same camera body. A block configuration diagram showing the configuration of and a block configuration diagram showing a part thereof in detail, No. 7
The figure is a block configuration diagram showing the configuration of the memory card. 11...Camera body, 12...Memory card, 13
... Lens barrel, 14... Finder, 15... Shutter, 16... Opening, 17... Lens, 18...
Solid-state image sensor, 19... A/D conversion circuit, 20...
Band compression circuit, 21...Memory card control circuit, 22...Microphone, 23...A/D conversion circuit, 24...Digital audio processing circuit, 25...CP
U, 26... Drive system, 27... I10 control circuit, 2
8.29...Data input terminal, 30...Data input/output terminal, 31...Semiconductor memory, 32...Address generation circuit, 33...Address output terminal, 34...Timing signal generation circuit , 35... Timing output terminal, 36... Data input/output terminal, 37... I10 control circuit, 38... Semiconductor memory, 39... Address input terminal, 40... Chip select circuit, 41 ...Timing input terminal, 42...Cluster table area, 43...Cluster start address area, 44.
...Cluster allocation area, 45...Cluster area. 1 Applicant Representative Patent Attorney Takehiko Suzue 424! 4: Figure 1 Figure 1

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] Conversion means for converting a photographed optical image into digital image data, and a semiconductor memory element, each divided into a plurality of blocks each having a certain storage capacity, and outputted from the conversion means. A first recording area in which digital image data is distributed and recorded in the plurality of blocks, and a second recording area in which information indicating the presence or absence of free space in the plurality of blocks constituting the first recording area is recorded. and a third recording area in which information indicating the continuity of digital image data distributed and recorded in a plurality of blocks constituting the first recording area is recorded. In the still camera device, each time digital image data is recorded in a block of the recording medium, the recorded digital image data is read from the block and compared with the digital image data before recording,
a detection means for detecting the presence or absence of an error; and when a detection result indicating the presence of an error is output from the detection means, the same data as the digital image data recorded in the block determined to have the error is recorded in another block; and a second recording means for recording information to the effect that the block determined to have the error is not empty in the second recording area when the detection result of the presence of an error is output from the detection means. An electronic still camera device comprising: recording means.