JPH06105266A - Information signal processor - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] [Purpose] When adding identification information for identifying an information signal recorded on a recording medium for each predetermined unit to the information signal with a simple configuration, incorrect identification information is added to the information signal. It is possible to prevent the addition of the correct identification information to the information signal and record the information signal on the recording medium. The information signal recorded on the recording medium can be accurately read in a predetermined unit, and an external device It is an object of the present invention to provide an easy-to-use information signal processing device capable of performing various types of processing or erasing. A device for recording an information signal on a recording medium, which corresponds to the order in which the information signal is recorded on the recording medium when the information signal is inputted and the inputted information signal is recorded on the recording medium. The management information is added to the information signal and recorded on the recording medium.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an information signal processing device for processing an information signal, and more particularly to an information signal processing device for recording an information signal on a recording medium.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as an information signal processing device for processing an information signal, for example, image signals or audio signals are recorded on a plurality of concentric tracks formed on a magnetic disk, and the signal is recorded on the magnetic disk. There is an electronic still video system in which any of the recording tracks is arbitrarily selected and an image signal or an audio signal recorded on the selected recording track is reproduced.

The above-mentioned electronic still video system is configured to record an image signal or an audio signal on a recording track on a magnetic disk in the state of an analog signal. However, recently, it has been digitized. Audio signals are transferred to a plurality of RAMs (Random Ac) by semiconductor memory devices such as D-RAM, S-RAM, and EEP-ROM.
A new system such as recording on a memory card having a built-in cess Memory) has also appeared.

By the way, the above memory card has a limited storage capacity due to the storage capacity per chip of the memory element and the number of chips of the memory element mountable on the card, and the price of the memory element is different from that of other recording media. Since it is more expensive than the above, it cannot be used as a recording medium having a large storage capacity at present.

On the other hand, it is known that the hard disk device is a recording medium having a larger storage capacity than the memory card, and the recent hard disk device, like the memory card, has a main body device. Since it is detachable, the hard disk device is used as a recording medium in an electronic still video system, so that a system having a large storage capacity can be constructed at a relatively low cost.

There are various types of hard disk devices depending on the recording capacity, weight, power consumption, recording speed, etc. If the system is configured so that a plurality of these types of hard disk devices can be installed, various types of hard disk devices will be available to users. It is possible to meet the request.

The system as described above uses a digital image signal for one screen (that is, image data) or an audio signal for a predetermined period (that is, audio data).
When recording as a data file on a recording medium such as a memory card or a hard disk, the recording area of the recording medium is divided into an information data recording area and a management data recording area, and the image data or audio data is divided into clusters. The data is divided and recorded in the information data recording area, and the information data indicating the usage state of each cluster is recorded in the management data recording area.

When a data file of image data or audio data is recorded over a plurality of clusters, the position of the cluster where the image data or audio data is recorded is recorded when the image data or audio data is recorded. Is stored in the management data memory provided in the system control circuit, the image data or audio data is recorded in the information data recording area, and after the recording of the image data or audio data is completed, the system control circuit The information data indicating the usage status of each cluster, which is stored in the management data memory provided in, is recorded in the management data recording area.

A data file of image data or audio data recorded on a recording medium such as a memory card or a hard disk as described above is read from the recording medium in units of each data file, and an external computer or printer device is used. , Data transmission device, etc., and transferred to an external device, where the processing device, print process,
The data transmission processing and the like are performed, and each data file recorded on the recording medium is treated as a single file.

When a predetermined data file recorded on the recording medium is read out, it is confused with another data file and read, or when the predetermined data file recorded on the recording medium is erased, another data file is deleted. When recording a data file on a recording medium, it is necessary to add an identification number to each data file so that they cannot be mistakenly erased by mistake. For example, in the case of a system that records an image data file in a recording medium, the number of shooting record screens is counted during shooting recording operation, and the counted number of shooting record screens is stored in the system main body and stored. The identification number corresponding to the number of captured recording screens is generated, and the generated identification number is added to the image data file and recorded on the recording medium. It is.

[0011]

However, since the above electronic still video camera is a portable device, it depends on a battery for supplying electric power, and when the battery level becomes low during shooting and recording, There is a need to replace the battery.

When the battery mounted in the system body runs out, or when the battery is removed from the system body for battery replacement, the number of shooting record screens stored in the system body is as described above. If the camera is reset and the shooting / recording operation is performed after the battery is replaced, the same identification number as the identification number added to the image data file already recorded on the recording medium is added to the new image data file and recorded. Then, the predetermined image data file recorded on the recording medium is read and transferred to an external device such as an external computer, a printer device, a data transmission device, etc., and the processing device, the printing process, the data transmission process are performed in the external device. When performing, etc., it is confused with other data files and read out, or a predetermined data recorded on the recording medium. There has been a problem that you or erroneously erased by mistake with other data files at the time of erasing the data files.

Further, in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a nonvolatile memory is provided in the system main body, and the number of captured recording screens is stored in the nonvolatile memory at the time of the recording / recording operation. Even if the battery installed in the battery runs out or the battery is removed from the system body for battery replacement, the number of shooting recording screens stored in the non-volatile memory in the system body is reset as described above. However, the nonvolatile memory has a limit in the number of data rewrites, and if the number of data rewrites relating to the number of shooting recording screens exceeds the number of data rewrites allowed in the non-volatile memory, the data relating to the number of shooting recording screens will be lost. The identification number is the same as the one added to the image data file already recorded on the recording medium without being updated correctly. Is added to Tana image data file, there is a problem that is recorded.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems. With a simple configuration, identification information for identifying an information signal recorded on a recording medium for each predetermined unit is added to the information signal. In this case, it is possible to prevent incorrect identification information from being added to the information signal, add correct identification information to the information signal, and record it on the recording medium. It is an object of the present invention to provide an easy-to-use information signal processing device capable of accurately reading data in a predetermined unit and performing various processes in an external device or erasing the data.

[0015]

An information signal processing apparatus of the present invention is an apparatus for recording an information signal on a recording medium, which is used for inputting an information signal and recording the input information signal on the recording medium. A recording unit is provided which adds management information corresponding to the order in which the information signal is recorded on the recording medium to the information signal and records the information signal on the recording medium.

[0016]

With the above-described structure, when the identification information for identifying the information signal recorded in the recording medium for each predetermined unit is added to the information signal, incorrect identification information is added to the information signal. It is possible to prevent this from happening, add correct identification information to the information signal, and record it on a recording medium. The information signal recorded on the recording medium can be accurately read out in predetermined units, and various processing can be performed in an external device. It can be erased or deleted, and the usability can be improved.

[0017]

EXAMPLES Examples of the present invention will be described below.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an electronic still video system to which the present invention has been applied, as a first embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, 10 is a photographic optical system composed of a photographic lens, 12 is an exposure control member composed of an aperture function and a shutter mechanism, and 14 is an intermediary of the photographic optical system 10 and the exposure control member 12. An image pickup device for converting the formed optical image into an image signal as an electric signal, and 16 for analog / digital (A / D) conversion for digitizing an analog image signal output from the image pickup device 14 and outputting it as image data. A clock 18 supplies various signals such as a clock signal and a control signal to the image pickup device 14, the A / D converter 16, a memory control circuit 20 described later, and a digital / analog (D / A) converter 36 described later. A clock signal generating circuit 1 which is a signal generating circuit
8 is controlled by a memory control circuit 20 and a system control circuit 50 described later.

22 is an adaptive discrete cosine transform (ADCT)
An image compression / decompression circuit for compressing or decompressing image data according to a compression / decompression method of information such as, and 24 is an image memory.

Reference numeral 20 is a memory control circuit for controlling the clock signal generation circuit 18, the image compression / expansion circuit 22 and the image memory 24. The image data output from the A / D converter 16 is a memory control circuit. It is written in the image memory 24 via 20.

When the image data is compressed, the image data written in the image memory 24 is read as described above, the read image data is compressed by the image compression / expansion circuit 22, and then the image data is compressed again. When writing to the image memory 24 or expanding the image data, the compressed image data stored in the image memory 24 is read and the read image data is expanded in the image compression / expansion circuit 22. After that, the image memory 24 is written again.

Reference numeral 36 is a D / A converter, and 38 is an image display device such as an electronic viewfinder. Image data stored in the image memory 24 is stored in the memory control circuit 20.
The D / A converter 36 reads out the image data and converts the image data into an analog signal so that the image signal formed can be visualized and displayed.

In this embodiment, the D / A converter 36 and the image display device 38 are built in the system main body, but the D / A converter 36 and the image display device 38 are not the system main body. The image display device 38 may be configured as a separate device so that it can be attached to and detached from the system main body.
As the above, different types such as high resolution or low resolution, color or black and white may be arbitrarily replaced.

Reference numeral 26 is an interface with a recording medium 100 such as a memory card or a hard disk described later or an external device, 28 is a data communication control circuit for controlling data communication with the external device or a communication line, and a predetermined program. In accordance with the above, the communication control of data according to the protocol of the connected external device or the communication line, the conversion or inverse conversion of the data, the modulation or the demodulation of the data, etc. are performed.

Reference numeral 30 denotes a connector for exchanging data and control signals with the recording medium 100 such as a memory card or hard disk and for supplying electric power, and 34 denotes exchanging data and control signals with external devices and communication lines. With the connector, by using the connector 34, it is possible to communicate data with an external device directly or via a communication line.

When the recording medium 100 is connected to the connector 30, the image data recorded on the attached recording medium 100 is read out, and the connector 30, the interface 26, the data communication control circuit 28, and the connector 34 are read. When the recording medium 100 is not connected to the connector 30, the image data captured and stored in the image memory 24 is read out, the memory control circuit 20, the interface 26,
It is possible to transmit to an external device via the data communication control circuit 28 and the connector 34.

The communication method using the connectors 30 and 34 is not limited to communication using electric signals, but is mechanical, optical,
Data and control signals can be transmitted and received by various methods such as acoustically.

Reference numeral 40 denotes a lens control circuit for controlling the movement of the focusing lens in the photographing optical system 10, and 42.
Is an exposure control circuit for controlling the aperture mechanism and shutter mechanism in the exposure control member 12, 44 is a distance measuring circuit for measuring the distance to the subject, 46 is a photometric circuit for measuring the brightness of the subject, and 48. Is a strobe device for illuminating a subject.

Reference numeral 50 is a system control circuit for controlling the operation of the entire system, 52 is a control data memory for storing various constant data and variable data used for control operations in the system control circuit 50, operation programs, and the like. Reference numeral 54 denotes a display device for displaying the operating state of the system, which is composed of, for example, a liquid crystal display or the like, and is a visually recognizable place such as the periphery of a switch group 56 described later or an electronic view of the image display device 38 or the like. It is installed in either or both of the places where it is easy to see in the viewfinder.

The display device 54 includes a gain for increasing the image pickup sensitivity of the image pickup device 14, the shutter speed value, the aperture value, the exposure correction value of the battery in the power source section 82, which will be described later. Whether there is up motion,
State of storable capacity in the image memory 24, presence / absence of image data compression / expansion operation in the image compression / expansion circuit 22, number of photographed / recorded screens in the recording medium 100, photographed / recorded capacity, and remaining recordable / recordable screen. The number and the remaining capacity for recording / recording are also displayed, and the display device 54 is easily visible, for example, around the switch group 56 and the electronic viewfinder such as the image display device 38. If both are provided,
The type of content displayed by each display device and the display timing may be different from each other.

Reference numeral 56 is a switch group for instructing various operation to the system control circuit 50. The switch group 56 includes, for example, a main switch 60 for instructing the operation of the system and a two-stage release. A second step of the distance measuring / photometering switch 62 and the two-step release switch 58, which are closed by the first step of the button 58, for instructing the start of the distance measuring operation by the distance measuring circuit 44 and the photometric circuit 46. A recording medium 1 such as a memory card or a hard disk of a captured image signal corresponding to a captured subject image closed with eyes
Recording start switch 6 to instruct recording start to 00
4. Single-shot shooting recording (S) mode for shooting and recording field image signals or frame image signals for one screen, continuous shooting recording for shooting and recording field image signals or frame image signals for multiple screens in succession (C) mode and a shooting / recording mode selection switch 66 for selecting one of the self-timer shooting / recording mode, the number of shooting / recording screens of image signals, discrimination between frame recording / field recording, aspect ratio of a shooting image, Pixel composition of captured image,
A recording condition setting switch 68 for selecting various setting conditions relating to the recording operation of the image signal, such as a data compression / decompression method and a data compression / decompression rate when compression / decompression processing is performed by the data compression / decompression method. An erase mode selection switch 70 for selecting an erase mode, an erase operation start instruction switch 72 for instructing the start of an erase operation, a transmission mode selection switch 74 for selecting a data transmission mode,
There is a transmission operation start instruction switch 76 for instructing the start of the data transmission operation.

Reference numeral 80 denotes a detection circuit for detecting a power supply state of a power supply unit 82, which will be described later, and D for converting a DC power supplied from the power supply unit 82 into a voltage suitable for each unit to which power is supplied.
It is composed of a C-DC converter, a switch for switching the circuit block to be fed, and the like, and detects whether or not the power supply unit 82 is attached to the main body device, detects the type of the power supply unit 82, and the power supply unit 82 is composed of a battery. If so, the remaining amount of the battery is detected, the DC-DC converter is controlled based on the detection result and the instruction from the system control circuit 50, and necessary power is supplied to each unit for a necessary period. The power supply control circuit 82 is a power supply unit composed of, for example, a rechargeable secondary battery, and 84 and 86 are connectors for connecting the main body device and the power supply unit 82.

Reference numeral 90 denotes an electrically erasable / recordable non-volatile memory such as an EEP-ROM.

The system control circuit 50 controls the movement of the focusing lens in the photographing optical system 10 by the lens control circuit 40 in accordance with the measurement result of the distance measuring circuit 44, thereby controlling the photographing optical system 10 to be in a focused state, and The exposure control circuit 42 controls the exposure by the exposure control member 12 so that the subject optical image formed on the image pickup surface of the image pickup device 14 has an optimum exposure amount in accordance with the photometry result of the photometry circuit 46.

The management data recording area 1 is provided in the recording area of the recording medium 100 such as a memory card or a hard disk.
02, an information data recording area 104, and a camera-related data recording area 114 are provided.
Data is written from the outside and data is read from the outside via the connector 6 and the connector 108.

Further, the recording medium 100 is also provided with a recording area 110 for write-protect (write-inhibit) information for the management data recording area 102, the information data recording area 104, and the camera-related data recording area 114. The protect information is the interface 10
The external write protect data is written and the external write protect data is read via the connector 6 and the connector 108.

Further, the recording medium 100 includes the recording medium 10
There is also provided a medium identification information recording area 112 in which data indicating medium identification information indicating the type and characteristics of 0 is recorded, and the system control circuit 50 described later is recorded in the medium identification information recording area 112. By reading data through the interface 106 and the connector 108, the recording medium 100 connected to the connector 30.
It is configured so that it can be detected from the information indicated by the read-out data what kind of data is and what kind of characteristics it has.

The interface 106 is a CP
It is composed of a control circuit such as U and MPU, a non-volatile memory such as ROM and EEP-ROM, and a memory such as RAM, and controls the operation of the recording medium 100 such as a memory card or a hard disk based on a predetermined program. It is a thing.

The operation of the electronic still video system according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the flowcharts shown in FIGS. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7. .

2 and 3 are flow charts showing the main operation routine of the electronic still video system shown in FIG. 1 as a whole.

2 and 3, the power supply unit 82 is attached to the system main body, so that the system control circuit 50
Initializes various flags and control variables (step S1 in the figure), sets the battery replacement flag in the non-volatile memory 90 (step S2 in the figure), and sets the system operation mode to the standby mode (step S2). Step S3 in the figure).

As described above, when the battery replacement flag is set in the non-volatile memory 90, the system control circuit 50 replaces the battery in the power supply unit 82 when the main switch 60, which will be described later, is off. It can be judged as a thing.

Then, when the operation mode of the system is set to the standby mode, the system control circuit 50 turns off the display on the display device 54 as necessary, and the power supply control circuit 80 causes each unit to operate as necessary. To stop unnecessary power consumption.

Then, in the system control circuit 50, the main switch 60 is turned on (step S in the figure).
4) If the operation mode of the system is the standby mode (step S8 in the figure), the standby mode is released (step S9 in the figure), and the system control circuit 5
0 causes the display device 54 to display as needed, and the power supply control circuit 80 supplies necessary power for a required period,
Supply to each part.

Then, the system control circuit 50 reads from the non-volatile memory 90 the necessary data or flags such as the data indicating the cumulative number of photographed and recorded screens of the image signal recorded on the recording medium 100, the battery replacement flag, and the like. When the battery replacement flag stored in the register or the memory 52 in the system control circuit 50 (step S10 in the figure) and indicating that the battery in the power supply section 82 is replaced is detected (step S11 in the figure). ), The value of the data indicating the cumulative number of photographed and recorded screens is advanced by a predetermined number (for example, 100 screens) and reset, and then the setting of the battery replacement flag in the nonvolatile memory 90 is canceled (in the figure, Step S12).

Further, the system control circuit 50 determines that the operation mode of the system is not the standby mode in the step S8 even if the main switch 60 is in the ON state in the step S4, or the step S11.
If the battery replacement flag is not detected from the data or the flag read from the non-volatile memory 90 and it is detected that the battery in the power supply unit 82 is not replaced, the process proceeds to step S13 described later.

On the other hand, when it is detected in step S4 that the main switch 60 is in the off state, and the operation mode of the system is not the standby mode (step S5 in the figure), the system control circuit 50 causes the recording medium to move. The data indicating the cumulative number of photographed and recorded screens of the image signal recorded in 100, necessary data such as a battery replacement flag or a flag is read from the register or the memory 52 in the system control circuit 50, and the nonvolatile memory 90 is read.
(Step S6 in the figure), and after setting the operation mode of the system to the standby mode (Step S7 in the figure), the process returns to the step S4, and the main switch 60
Will be in a standby state until is operated.

If it is detected in step S4 that the main switch 60 is off and that the system operation mode is the standby mode in step S5, the process returns to step S4 and the main switch 60 is operated. It will be in a standby state until it is done.

Next, in the system control circuit 50, the recording medium 100 such as a memory card or a hard disk is connected to the system main body (step S13 in the figure), and the write protection information of the recording medium 100 connected to the system main body is written. When it is determined that the write protect data indicating the write protect is not set in the recording area 110 (step S14 in the figure), the recording medium 100 is
Of the recording medium, the recording capacity of the data, the identification information data such as the characteristics of the recording medium, the camera-related data, the recording medium-related data, and the management data used at the time of shooting and recording the image data recorded on the recording medium 100. Is read from the recording medium 100, and the recording state in the recording medium 100 is searched (step S15 in the figure).

A detailed description of the search operation will be given later.

When the system control circuit 50 determines that the recording medium 100 is not connected (step S13 in the figure) or the write protect data is set (step S14 in the figure). ), A warning display indicating that the recording medium 100 is not connected or the write protect data is set is displayed on the display device 54, and then the process returns to step S4 and the main switch 60 is operated. Is in a standby state (step S18 in the figure).

Then, the system control circuit 50 controls the identification information data of the recording medium 100, the camera-related data, the recording medium-related data, the management data recorded in the management data recording area 102 of the recording medium 100 and the switch group 56.
Based on the various modes set by the above and various mode settings set according to the type of the recording medium 100 connected to the system body, the number of remaining recordable screens recorded on the recording medium 100, the date, the photographing operation The mode, various messages and the like are displayed on the display device 54 (step S16 in the figure), and the recording medium 100 is a recording medium that cannot be used in the present system, or the recording medium 100
If there is no free space in which the data can be recorded in the information data recording area 104 (step S17 in the drawing), the recording medium 100 is a recording medium that cannot be used in the present system, or the information of the recording medium 100 Data recording area 10
After the warning display indicating that there is no data recordable area is displayed in 4, the process returns to step S4 and waits until the main switch 60 is operated (step S18 in the figure).

Next, the system control circuit 50 detects the state of the distance measuring / photometric switch 62, and when the distance measuring / photometric switch 62 is in the off state, returns to the step S4 (step S19 in the figure). ), If it is on,
The distance measuring circuit 44 measures the distance to the subject, and the focusing lens in the distance measuring circuit 44 is moved to focus the imaging optical system 10 on the subject, and the photometric circuit 46 measures the brightness of the subject. The exposure control circuit 42 controls the aperture mechanism and the shutter mechanism in the exposure control member 12 so that the subject optical image formed on the image pickup surface of the image pickup device 14 has an optimum exposure amount according to the photometry result of the photometry circuit 46. The exposure control member 12 determines the exposure to the subject (step S in the figure).
20).

Then, the system control circuit 50 detects the state of the recording start switch 64, and the recording start switch 64 is detected.
The range-finding operation and the photometric operation in step S20 are repeated until is turned on (step S2 in the figure).
1) When it is detected that the recording start switch 64 is turned on, the photographing operation is started and the analog image signal output from the image pickup device 14 is digitized by the A / D converter 16. The image data obtained by is stored in the image memory 24 (step S22 in the figure).

A detailed description of the distance measuring operation, the photometric operation and the photographing operation will be given later.

During the photographing operation as described above, the system control circuit 50 measures the number of screens of the photographed images and accumulates the measured values to update the data indicating the cumulative number of photographed and recorded screens. The data is temporarily stored in the register or the memory 52 in the system control circuit 50 (step S23 in the figure), and further, the data showing the identification number peculiar to the system main body such as the serial number of the system main body and the data showing the cumulative photographing record screen number. The shooting-related data including the data indicating the identification number unique to the shooting-recorded image obtained from is stored in the image memory 24 via the memory control circuit 20 (step S2 in the figure).
4).

In addition to the identification number peculiar to the photographed and recorded image, the photographing-related data includes the type number and manufacturing number of the system body, the size and type of the image pickup device 14 installed in the system body, and the total number of pixels. Number, presence / absence of color filter, color filter type, configuration and characteristics or their identification numbers, infrared cutoff filter characteristics or its identification number, optical low pass filter characteristics or its identification number, type of photographing lens used for photographing No. and serial number, shooting lens focal length at the time of shooting, ranging distance, aperture value, shutter speed value, continuous shooting speed value, shooting date, shooting time, shooting temperature, white balance type, shooting color There is data indicating the temperature, whether or not the strobe device is used, the type number of the strobe device, the serial number, and the like.

Then, the system control circuit 50 causes the value of the data indicating the cumulative number of photographed and recorded screens in the photographing-related data stored in the image memory 24 to be stored in the non-volatile memory 90. When the number of recording screens is increased by a predetermined number (for example, 100) (step S25 in the figure), the data indicating the cumulative number of recording screens is changed to a battery replacement flag or the like. Together with other data and flags of the non-volatile memory 9 from the register or memory 52 in the system control circuit 50.
By storing it in 0, the contents of data and flags stored in the nonvolatile memory 90 are updated (step S26 in the figure).

In the above-mentioned operation, only the data stored or set in the register in the system control circuit 50 or the memory 25 and the data indicating the cumulative number of photographed and recorded screens among the flags are read out, and the nonvolatile memory 9 is read.
By storing the data in 0, the contents of the data and the flag stored in the nonvolatile memory 90 may be updated.

Further, in step S 25, the system control circuit 50 causes the nonvolatile memory 90 to store the value of the data indicating the cumulative number of photographed and recorded screens in the photographing-related data stored in the image memory 24. If the number has not increased by the predetermined number (for example, 100) from the value of the data indicating the accumulated number of captured and recorded screens, the process proceeds to step S27 described below.

Then, in step S27, when it is detected that the recording start switch 64 is still in the on state and the instruction to continue the continuous shooting operation is detected, the system control circuit 50 causes the image to be displayed. If the memory 24 has an empty area in which image data can be stored (step S28 in the figure), the process returns to step S19 to repeat the above-described processing operation, and in step S27, the recording start switch is executed. If 64 is turned off and it is detected that the continuous shooting operation is instructed, or in step S28, the image memory 24 has no free space for storing image data and the shooting operation is stopped. If it cannot be performed, the system control circuit 50 stores the image data and the shooting-related data in the information data recording area 104 of the recording medium 100. When recording, a FAT (file allocation) indicating the usage state of each cluster, which is the usage unit of the information data recording area 104, should be recorded in the management data recording area 102 of the recording medium 100 together with the image data and the shooting-related data. While storing management data such as a table) in a part of the data recording area of the image memory 24, the image data and the shooting-related data stored in the image memory 24 are read out, and the memory control circuit 20, the interface 26, the connector After recording in the information data recording area 104 of the recording medium 100 via 30, the connector 108 and the interface 106, the management data such as the FAT is read from the image memory 24, and the memory control circuit 20, the interface 26, the connector 30, Via connector 108, interface 106 Te is recorded in the management data recording area 102 of the recording medium 100.

The above processing operation is performed for each screen on a plurality of captured images, and is repeated by the number of times corresponding to the number of screens of the captured image. When a series of processing operations is completed, the process proceeds to step S4. The operation returns to the standby state until the main switch 60 is operated (step S2 in the figure).
9).

A detailed description of the recording operation will be given later.

Further, in the present embodiment, the data stored in the non-volatile memory 90 or the content of the information indicated by the flag is data indicating the cumulative number of photographed and recorded screens of the image signal recorded on the recording medium 100, and the battery. Although necessary data such as an exchange flag or flags are mentioned, camera-related data, recording medium-related data, and recording medium 100, which will be described later.
In the nonvolatile memory 90, the data indicating the recording structure of the data in FIG. 1 and the like, and particularly when the recording medium 100 is a hard disk device, the number of times the hard disk device is started
It may be configured to be stored in.

When the data indicating the recording structure of the data on the recording medium 100 is stored in the non-volatile memory 90 as the content of the data stored in the non-volatile memory 90 or the information indicated by the flag. Whenever the operation mode of the system is set to the standby mode, the data indicating the recording structure of the data in the recording medium 100 is read from the register in the system control circuit 50 or the memory 52 and stored in the nonvolatile memory 90. Every time the setting of the standby mode is released, data indicating the recording structure of the data in the recording medium 100 is read from the non-volatile memory 90 and read and stored in the register or the memory 52 in the system control circuit 50. With such a configuration, the recording medium 100
In order to obtain the data indicating the data recording structure of the recording medium 100, the recording medium 100 is not activated each time.
It becomes possible to record or reproduce file data for.

Further, when the recording medium 100 is a hard disk device, the data indicating the recording structure of the data of the recording medium 100 is the number of sectors forming one track on the hard disk of the hard disk device. , The number of heads of the hard disk device, the number of sectors forming one cluster, the total number of clusters, the position information of the first sector of the first FAT, the position information of the first sector of the second FAT,
Position information of the first sector of the directory entry, position information of the first sector of the information data recording area 104, last allocation cluster indicating up to which cluster the data is recorded, data from which cluster is recorded There are a next free cluster indicating whether data can be recorded, a used cluster number indicating the number of clusters in which data is recorded, and an unused cluster number indicating how many clusters can record data.

The position information of each head sector is composed of data such as the hard disk cylinder number, head number and sector number.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart for explaining the search operation routine in step S15 of FIG. 2 in detail.

In FIG. 4, the system control circuit 50 is
When the recording state search operation in the recording medium 100 is not completed (step S31 in the figure), the system control circuit 50 causes the medium identification information recording area 1 of the recording medium 100 to be recorded.
12, the type and characteristics of the recording medium 100,
Data indicating the data recordable capacity, the identification number, the trademark that can be used as the identification, etc.
6, connector 108, connector 30, interface 2
If the recording medium 100 connected to the system main body is determined to be a recording medium that can be used in the present system (step S33 in the figure), the reading is further performed via step 6 (step S32 in the figure). It is determined whether the recording medium 100 is a memory card or a hard disk, the type of the memory card or the hard disk is determined, and the type of the recording medium 100 is optimized so that the data transmission / reception between the system control circuit 50 and the recording medium 100 is optimized. Depending on the shooting operation,
Each operation mode of recording operation, reproduction operation, and electric transmission operation is set (step S36 in the figure).

By the above operation processing, it is possible to optimally set the transmission / reception speed of the data command and the like between the recording medium 100 connected to the system body and the system control circuit 50, and particularly the continuous shooting in the continuous shooting recording mode. You will be able to optimally set the speed and the number of screens that can be recorded for continuous shooting.

The operation of identifying the recording medium 100 is as follows.
The system control circuit 50 does not directly read and determine the data recorded in the medium identification information recording area 112 of the recording medium 100, but the control circuit such as the CPU or MPU included in the interface 106 in the recording medium 100 reads the data. The CPU, MPU, etc. included in the interface 106 may be configured to transmit as a determination signal to the system control circuit 50 based on the determination result, and the medium identification information recording area of the recording medium 100. 1
When the system control circuit 50 reads the data recorded in 12, the data read from the medium identification information recording area 112 is transferred to a part of the data recording area of the image memory 24 via the memory control circuit 20. After the writing, the system control circuit 50 may be read again via the memory control circuit 20.

Among the data recorded in the medium identification information recording area 112, the information regarding the recordable capacity of the data of the recording medium 100 is the camera management data recording area 114, the management data recording area 102, and the information data recording area. The system control circuit 5 shows the total recordable capacity of data including the area 104 and an undefined recording area, the respective recordable capacity of data, and the recording position of each data recording area.
0 indicates a camera management data recording area 114, a management data recording area 102, an information data recording area 104 and an unrecorded area as recording media 100 connected to the system main body even when there are a plurality of types having different data recordable capacities. It is possible to recognize the total recordable recording capacity of data including the defined recording area, the respective capacities, and the recording position of each data.

Further, even when the recording medium 100 connected to the system main body is composed of a plurality of recording mediums having different types, characteristics, and data recordable capacities, the system control circuit 50 makes the medium of the recording medium 100. From the data recorded in the identification information recording area 112, it is possible to recognize the information regarding the type, characteristics, and data recordable capacity of each recording medium, and further recorded in the medium identification information recording area 112 of the recording medium 100. It is also possible to recognize information about the recording positions of the camera-related data and the recording medium-related data recorded in the camera-related data recording area 114 of each recording medium from the stored data.

Then, in step S33, the system control circuit 50 determines from the data recorded in the medium identification information recording area 112 that, for example, the recording medium 100 connected to the system main body is of a type not applicable to this system. , If it is determined that it has a characteristic, a data recordable capacity, or if it is determined that it has an identification number that does not apply to this system, a trademark that can be used as an identification, etc. It is determined that the recording medium 100 connected to the system body is a recording medium that cannot be used in the present system, and the recording medium incompatibility flag is set in the register or the memory 52 in the system control circuit 50 (step S34 in the figure). , Display device 54 for recording medium 10
After making the system display a warning indicating that 0 is an unusable recording medium, the recording medium 10 from the power supply unit 82 is displayed.
Power supply to 0 is stopped (step S3 in the figure).
5).

Then, the system control circuit 50 retrieves camera-related data and recording medium-related data recorded in the camera-related data recording area 114 of the recording medium 100 via the interface 106, the connector 108, the connector 30, and the interface 26. (Step S3 in the figure
7) If camera-related data or recording medium-related data exists in the camera-related data recording area 114 (step S38 in the figure), the camera-related data or recording medium-related data is recorded in the camera-related data recording area 114. The data is read, and the photographing mode and the recording mode are set and executed according to the read data and program (step S39 in the figure).

As the camera-related data, the system identification data such as the type of camera unit in the system, the serial number, the white balance adjustment value in the camera unit,
Autofocus adjustment value in camera section, automatic exposure adjustment value in camera section, image sensor 1 in camera section
4 shows the sensitivity unevenness and its correction value, the temperature characteristics of various parts in the camera unit and its correction value, the recording medium identification data indicating the recording medium that can be used in this system, the damaged portion of the recording medium, and other information related to the camera unit. Data, a program for operating the system control circuit 50, and the like are set, and the recording medium-related data includes a recording medium identification number unique to the recording medium such as a manufacturing number of the recording medium 100, and data of the recording medium 100. Or the number of times the hard disk device is activated when the recording medium 100 is a hard disk device, and when the recording medium 100 is a memory card, for each block in the data recording area of the memory card. Data indicating the number of times data is erased is set, and each part of the system is set according to these data and programs. The execution of the numerical values and operating mode settings and programs necessary for the operation or photographing and recording operations.

Of the recording medium-related data, the data indicating the recording structure of the data of the recording medium 100 is one track on the hard disk of the hard disk device when the recording medium 100 is a hard disk device. , The number of heads of the hard disk device, the number of sectors forming one cluster, the total number of clusters, the position information of the first sector of the first FAT, the position information of the first sector of the second FAT, and the first sector of the directory entry. Position information, position information of the first sector of the information data recording area 104, last allocation cluster indicating to which position cluster data is recorded, and from which position cluster data can be recorded. Next free cluster shown, cluster where data is recorded The number of used clusters indicative of, a number of unused clusters for indicating whether the recordable cluster data remains how much.

The position information of each head sector is composed of data such as the hard disk cylinder number, head number and sector number.

If the camera-related data recording area 114 of the recording medium 100 does not contain camera-related data or recording medium-related data in step S38, the system control circuit 50 determines that the system control circuit 5
The photographing mode and the recording mode are set and executed according to the data indicating various standard values stored in advance in the ROM of 0 or the ROM of the memory 52 and the standard program (step S40 in the figure).

As described above, data and programs necessary for operating the system are recorded in advance in the recording medium 100 such as a memory card or a hard disk, and the data and programs are stored in the system control circuit 50 when the system is started. It can be configured so that it can be read in, set the required numerical values and operation modes when the system operates, and execute.

The reading operation of the camera-related data and the recording medium-related data recorded in the camera-related data recording area 114 of the recording medium 100 to the system control circuit 50 is performed by the camera-related data recording area of the recording medium 100. The data recorded in 114 is transferred to the image memory 24 via the interface 106, the connector 108, the connector 30, the interface 26, and the memory control circuit 20.
Alternatively, the data may be written in a part of the data recording area and then read into the system control circuit 50 via the memory control circuit 20 again.

Then, the system control circuit 50 transfers the management data recorded in the management data recording area 102 of the recording medium 100 to the interface 106, the connector 108,
Connector 30, interface 26, memory control circuit 2
After writing in a part of the data recording area of the image memory 24 via 0, it is again read into the system control circuit 20 via the memory control circuit 20 to search the recording state of the file in the recording medium 100 (step in the figure). S41).

A detailed description of the file search operation will be given later.

Then, the system control circuit 50, based on the file search operation performed in the step S41,
It is detected whether or not there is an abnormality in the file management information such as the directory entry or FAT (step S4 in the figure).
2) If there is no abnormality, return to the original operation routine, and if there is an abnormality, correct the file management information, display an abnormality occurrence warning, set prohibition of use of the problem area in the information data recording area 104, etc. Perform (Step S4 in the figure)
3).

As an abnormality of the file management information, for example, a file has a structure in which clusters which are recording units of normal data are chained, but the directory entry indicating the beginning of the chain of the cluster is not updated and is missing. If it is, it becomes impossible to search the link list that is the information indicating the chain of clusters recorded in the FAT, or the file size and the file size indicated by the directory entry are recorded in the FAT. The file size obtained by searching the linked list, which is the information indicating the chain of the clusters, is different.

In the above case, since an error has occurred in the data of one or both of the directory entry and the link list recorded in the FAT, the next data recording operation is performed. There is a risk that data will be destroyed when performing the erase operation.

Further, when all or part of the link list, which is the information indicating the chain of clusters recorded in the FAT, is indicated by another directory entry, or the information indicated by the link list is the cluster. Even if the data is not recorded and does not indicate the end of the chain, the data may be destroyed in the next data recording or erasing operation.

Therefore, when the system control circuit 50 detects an abnormality of the file management information as described above, it displays a warning of the abnormality of the file management information and displays a directory entry or a link list recorded in the FAT. The file management information is corrected, and the use of the problematic part in the information data recording area 104 is prohibited.

When the file search operation as described above is completed, the search operation routine is terminated and the original operation routine is returned to.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart for explaining the distance measurement / photometry operation routine in step S20 of FIG. 3 in detail.

In FIG. 5, the system control circuit 50 is
When the distance measuring / photometry switch 62 is in the ON state, first, the distance measuring circuit 44 measures the distance to the object, and the system control circuit 5 measures the distance measuring data according to the distance measuring result.
0 is stored in the register or memory 52 (step S51 in the figure), the brightness of the subject is measured by the photometric circuit 46, and photometric data corresponding to the photometric result is registered or memory 52 in the system control circuit 50. (Step S52 in the figure).

Further, the system control circuit 50 is responsive to the photometric result of the photometric circuit 46 to output the flash device 48.
If it is necessary to make the strobe device 48 emit light, a strobe flag is set and the strobe device 4 is set.
The charging operation for 8 is started (step S5 in the figure).
4).

FIG. 6 is a flow chart for explaining in detail the photographing operation routine in step S22 of FIG.

In FIG. 6, the system control circuit 50 is
When the distance measurement / photometry switch 62 is in the ON state, the distance measurement data stored in the register in the system control circuit 50 or the memory 52 is read out, and the lens control circuit 40 is read according to the read distance measurement data. By controlling the movement of the focusing lens of the photographing optical system 10, the photographing optical system 10 is controlled to the in-focus state (step S61 in the figure), and stored in the register or the memory 52 in the system control circuit 50. The photometric data that is present is read, and the image sensor 1 is read according to the read photometric data.
The exposure control member 1 determines the exposure amount for the subject imaged on the imaging surface of No. 4, and during the period corresponding to the determined exposure amount.
By driving the shutter mechanism of the exposure control member 12 by the exposure control circuit 42 so as to open the shutter mechanism of No. 2, the subject image pickup optical image is exposed on the image pickup surface of the image pickup device 14 (step in the figure). S62, S63).

Further, the system control circuit 50 detects whether or not the strobe flag which is set according to the photometric result in the photometric circuit 46 is set (step S64 in the figure), and the strobe flag is set. If so, the strobe device 48 is caused to emit light (step S6 in the figure).
5).

Then, the system control circuit 50 completes the exposure time of the subject image pickup optical image on the image pickup surface of the image pickup device 14 by the shutter mechanism of the exposure control member 12 set according to the determined exposure amount (see FIG. Step S6 in
6) By driving the shutter mechanism of the exposure control member 12 by the exposure control circuit 42 so that the shutter mechanism of the exposure control member 12 is closed, the optical image of the subject imaged on the imaging surface of the image sensor 14 is displayed. After the exposure operation is completed (step S67 in the figure), the charge signal accumulated in the image pickup device 14 is output, digitized in the A / D converter 16, and then output from the A / D converter 16. Image data from the image memory 2 via the memory control circuit 20.
4 and the data corresponding to the captured image for one screen is temporarily stored in the image memory 24 (step S68 in the figure).

FIG. 7 is a flow chart for explaining the recording operation routine in step S29 of FIG. 3 in detail.

In FIG. 7, the system control circuit 50 is
First, as the additional information related to the image data to be recorded on the recording medium 100, for example, data corresponding to information or numbers indicating characters, voices, pictures, etc., which can be arbitrarily set by the operator, is stored in the memory control circuit. Image memory 24 through 20
(Step S71 in the figure).

The data corresponding to the additional information is supplied to the image memory 24 from an additional information data generator which generates additional information data in accordance with the operation of an unillustrated non-information data input switch in the switch group 56, Alternatively, from a voice input device (not shown) provided as an external device of the system, the connector 34, the data communication control circuit 2
8 is supplied to the image memory 24 via the interface 26.

Then, the system control circuit 50 creates a file name, file attributes, file creation date, file creation time, etc., necessary for creating an image file formed by recording image data on the recording medium 100. Is generated and stored in a part of the data recording area of the image memory 24 via the memory control circuit 20 (step S72 in the figure).

A part or all of the data indicating the file name is formed from a system-specific identification number such as the manufacturing number of the system main body and the cumulative number of image-capture recording screens of image signals recorded on the recording medium 100. The identification number unique to the recording medium 100, such as data indicating the identification number or identification symbol unique to the captured recording image, or the serial number of the recording medium 100, and the cumulative capturing recording screen of the image signals recorded on the recording medium 100. It corresponds to the data indicating the identification number or the identification symbol peculiar to the captured recorded image, and when the image files are created, by adding the data indicating the file name to each image file, the image files having the same file name It becomes possible to prevent the occurrence of.

In the shooting-related data, a system-specific identification number such as the serial number of the system main body and the cumulative number of shooting recording screens of image signals recorded on the recording medium 100, or the manufacturing number of the recording medium 100. Etc. recording medium 1
00 unique identification number and the number of accumulated photographed and recorded screens of the image signal recorded on the recording medium 100, and the data corresponding to the unique identification number of the photographed and recorded image is included and a part of the data indicating the file name or All are data corresponding to an identification number or an identification symbol indicating that the data corresponding to the identification signal unique to the captured image is included in the imaging-related data, and each image file is created when the image file is created. If the data indicating the file name is added, the data indicating the file name serves as an index for searching the shooting-related data, so that the image file having the same file name can be prevented from being generated. .

Then, the system control circuit 50 transfers the image data stored in the image memory 24 to the recording medium 100.
When recording in the information data recording area 104, the management data recording area 102 of the recording medium 100 is recorded together with the image data.
While recording management data such as FAT indicating a usage state for each cluster, which is a usage unit of the information data recording area 104, to be recorded in the image memory 24 while being stored in a part of the recording area of the image memory 24. Read image data, shooting-related data including data corresponding to the identification number unique to the captured and recorded image, and data corresponding to the additional information from the image memory 24, and the memory control circuit 20 and the interface 26 are read. The recording medium 1 via the connector 30, the connector 108, and the interface 106.
00 in the information data recording area 104, and subsequently, a FAT or the like representing the usage state of each cluster, which is a usage unit of the information data recording area 104 stored in a part of the data recording area of the image memory 24. The management data is transferred to the recording medium 1 via the memory control circuit 20, the interface 26, the connector 30, the connector 108, and the interface 106.
00 in the management data recording area 102, and further stored in a part of the data recording area of the image memory 24,
Data indicating the file name, file attributes, file creation date, file creation time, etc., necessary for creating an image file are stored in the memory control circuit 20 and the interface 2.
6, connector 30, connector 108, interface 1
Management data recording area 1 of the recording medium 100 via 06.
02 (step S73 in the figure).

A detailed description of the recording operation of the image file will be given later.

By the way, in the photographing-related data recorded together with the image data in the information data recording area 104 of the recording medium 100 during the recording operation of the image file in the step S73, in addition to the identification number peculiar to the photographed recorded image, Type number and manufacturing number of system body, size and type and total number of pixels of image sensor 14 installed in system body, presence or absence of color filter, type and configuration and characteristics of color filter or identification numbers thereof, infrared cutoff filter Characteristics or its identification number, optical low-pass filter characteristics or its identification number, the type number and serial number of the lens used for shooting, the focal length of the shooting lens at the time of shooting, ranging distance, aperture value, shutter speed value, Continuous shooting speed value, shooting date, shooting time, shooting temperature,
There are data indicating the type of white balance, the color temperature at the time of shooting, whether or not the strobe device is used, the type number of the strobe device, the serial number, and the like.

Then, when the image data to be recorded in the recording medium 100 remains in the image memory 24, the system control circuit 50 returns to the step S71, and the series of image file recording processing as described above. When the operation is repeated (step S74 in the figure) and there is no image data to be recorded in the recording medium 100 in the image memory 24,
The system control circuit 50 records the camera-related data and the storage medium-related data in the camera-related data recording area 114 of the recording medium 100 via the interface 26, the connector 30, the connector 108, and the interface 106 (step S75 in the figure). , Return to the original operation routine.

When recording the camera-related data and the recording-medium-related data on the recording medium 100, the camera-related data and the recording-medium-related data generated by the system control circuit 50 are stored in the image memory 24 via the memory control circuit 20. After storing in a part of the data recording area, the recording medium 10 is passed through the memory control circuit 20, the interface 26, the connector 30, the connector 108, and the interface 106.
The data may be recorded in the camera-related data recording area 114 of 0.

The camera-related data includes system identification data such as the type of camera unit in the system, serial number, white balance adjustment value in the camera unit, auto focus adjustment value in the camera unit, and automatic exposure adjustment in the camera unit. Value, the image sensor 14 in the camera section
Sensitivity unevenness and its correction value, temperature characteristics of various parts in the camera section and its correction value, recording medium identification data indicating the recording medium that can be used in this system, damaged part of the recording medium, and data indicating other information related to the camera section. And a program for operating the system control circuit 50 are set, and the recording medium-related data includes a recording medium identification number unique to the recording medium such as a serial number of the recording medium 100 and data of the recording medium 100. The recording structure, or the number of times the hard disk device is started when the recording medium 100 is a hard disk device, and the data for each block in the data recording area of the memory card when the recording medium 100 is a memory card Data indicating the number of erasures and the like is set.

Of the recording medium-related data, the data showing the recording structure of the data of the recording medium 100 is one track on the hard disk in the hard disk device when the recording medium 100 is the hard disk device. , The number of heads of the hard disk device, the number of sectors forming one cluster, the total number of clusters, the position information of the first sector of the first FAT, the position information of the first sector of the second FAT, and the first sector of the directory entry. Position information, position information of the first sector of the information data recording area 104, last allocation cluster indicating to which position cluster data is recorded, and from which position cluster data can be recorded. Next free cluster shown, cluster where data is recorded The number of used clusters indicative of, a number of unused clusters for indicating whether the recordable cluster data remains how much.

The position information of each head sector described above is composed of data such as a hard disk cylinder number, head number, and sector number.

The system control circuit 50, among the data and programs set in the camera-related data and the recording medium-related data as described above, records the data in the recording medium 100 or the contents of the recorded data and programs. The part of the data or program that needs to be rewritten is recorded in the camera-related data recording area 114 of the recording medium 100.

For example, when camera-related data is not recorded in the camera-related data recording area 114 of the recording medium 100 mounted in the system body, the camera-related data generated by the system control circuit 50 of the system body is stored. The recording medium 10 may be recorded, and the recording medium 10 as described above may be recorded every time image data is recorded, reproduced, or erased.
Data having a data recording structure of 0, the number of times the hard disk device is started when the recording medium 100 is a hard disk device, and each block in the data recording area of the memory card when the recording medium 100 is a memory card. The data indicating the number of times the data is erased may be updated as necessary.

As described above, if the data and programs necessary for the operation of each part of the system and the photographing / recording operation are recorded in advance on the recording medium 100 such as a memory card or a hard disk and are updated as needed, the system The system control circuit 50 can read and execute the data and the program recorded in the recording medium 100 at the time of starting.

When the series of processing operations as described above are completed, the image file recording operation is ended.

The operation of the electronic still video system according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the follow charts shown in FIGS. 2, 3, 5, 6, 8 and 9. To do.

2 and 3 are flow charts showing the main operation routine of the electronic still video system shown in FIG. 1 as a whole.

As described above, in the electronic still video system as the second embodiment of the present invention, instead of the search operation routine of step S15 of FIG. 2 shown in FIG. 4 in the first embodiment, FIG. Using the search operation routine shown in FIG. 7, step S29 in FIG. 3 shown in FIG. 7 in the first embodiment.
The recording operation routine shown in FIG. 9 is used in place of the recording operation routine in FIG. 9. Since the other processing operations are the same as those in the first embodiment, detailed description thereof will be omitted. The search operation routine shown in FIG. 8 and the recording operation routine shown in FIG. 9 will be described in detail.

FIG. 8 is a flow chart for explaining another search operation routine in step S15 of FIG. 2 in detail.

In FIG. 8, the system control circuit 50 is
When the search operation of the recording state in the recording medium 100 is not completed (step S81 in the drawing), the system control circuit 50 causes the medium identification information recording area 1 of the recording medium 100.
12, the type and characteristics of the recording medium 100,
Data indicating the data recordable capacity, the identification number, the trademark that can be used as the identification, etc.
6, connector 108, connector 30, interface 2
If the recording medium 100 connected to the system main body is determined to be a recording medium usable in the present system (step S83 in the figure), the reading is further performed through step 6 (step S82 in the figure). It is determined whether the recording medium 100 is a memory card or a hard disk, the type of the memory card or the hard disk is determined, and the type of the recording medium 100 is optimized so that the data transmission / reception between the system control circuit 50 and the recording medium 100 is optimized. Depending on the shooting operation,
Each operation mode of recording operation, reproduction operation, and electric transmission operation is set (step S86 in the figure).

By the above operation processing, it is possible to optimally set the transmission / reception speed of the data command and the like between the recording medium 100 connected to the system body and the system control circuit 50, and particularly, the continuous shooting in the continuous shooting recording mode. You will be able to optimally set the speed and the number of screens that can be recorded for continuous shooting.

The operation of identifying the recording medium 100 is as follows.
The system control circuit 50 does not directly read and determine the data recorded in the medium identification information recording area 112 of the recording medium 100, but the control circuit such as the CPU or MPU included in the interface 106 in the recording medium 100 reads the data. The CPU, MPU, etc. included in the interface 106 may be configured to transmit as a determination signal to the system control circuit 50 based on the determination result, and the medium identification information recording area of the recording medium 100. 1
When the system control circuit 50 reads the data recorded in 12, the data read from the medium identification information recording area 112 is transferred to a part of the data recording area of the image memory 24 via the memory control circuit 20. After the writing, the system control circuit 50 may be read again via the memory control circuit 20.

Of the data recorded in the medium identification information recording area 112, the information regarding the recordable capacity of the data of the recording medium 100 includes the camera management data recording area 114, the management data recording area 102, and the information data recording area. The system control circuit 5 shows the total recordable capacity of data including the area 104 and an undefined recording area, the respective recordable capacity of data, and the recording position of each data recording area.
0 indicates a camera management data recording area 114, a management data recording area 102, an information data recording area 104 and an unrecorded area as recording media 100 connected to the system main body even when there are a plurality of types having different data recordable capacities. It is possible to recognize the total recordable recording capacity of data including the defined recording area, the respective capacities, and the recording position of each data.

Even when the recording medium 100 connected to the system body is composed of a plurality of recording mediums having different types, characteristics, and data recordable capacities, the system control circuit 50 does not change the medium of the recording medium 100. From the data recorded in the identification information recording area 112, it is possible to recognize the information regarding the type, characteristics, and data recordable capacity of each recording medium, and further recorded in the medium identification information recording area 112 of the recording medium 100. From the recorded data, information about the recording positions of the camera-related data and the recording medium-related data recorded in the camera-related data recording area 114 of each recording medium is also recorded in the medium identification information recording area 112 of the recording medium 100. It can be recognized from the data.

Then, in step S83, the system control circuit 50 determines that the recording medium 100 connected to the system main body corresponds to this system from the data recorded in the medium identification information recording area 112. If it is determined that it has no type, characteristics, recordable capacity of data, or that it has an identification number that does not apply to this system, a trademark that can be used as an identification mark, etc. Determines that the recording medium 100 mounted in the system body is a recording medium that cannot be used in this system, and sets a recording medium incompatibility flag in the register or memory 52 in the system control circuit 50 (in the figure). Step S84), a warning display indicating that the recording medium 100 is a recording medium that cannot be used in the present system is displayed on the display device 54. After performed, stopping supply of electric power to the recording medium 100 from the power supply unit 82 (step S85 in FIG.).

Then, the system control circuit 50 transfers the management data recorded in the management data recording area 102 of the recording medium 100 to the interface 106, the connector 108,
Connector 30, interface 26, memory control circuit 2
After writing in a part of the data recording area of the image memory 24 via 0, it is again read into the system control circuit 20 via the memory control circuit 20 to search the recording state of the file in the recording medium 100 (step in the figure). S87).

A detailed description of the file search operation will be given later.

Then, the system control circuit 50 detects whether or not there is an abnormality in the file management information such as the directory entry or the FAT based on the file search operation performed in step S87 (step S8 in the figure).
8) If there is no abnormality, the process proceeds to step S90 described later, and if there is an abnormality, correction of the file management information,
An error occurrence warning display, prohibition of use of problem areas in the information data recording area 104, etc. are set (step S in the figure).
89).

As an abnormality of the file management information, for example, a file has a structure in which clusters, which are recording units of normal data, are chained, but the directory entry pointing to the beginning of the cluster chain is missing without being updated. In this case, the link list, which is the information of the chain of clusters recorded in the FAT, cannot be searched, or the file size and the file size indicated by the directory entry are recorded in the FAT. The file size obtained by searching the linked list, which is the information indicating the chain of existing clusters, may be different.

In the above case, an error has occurred in the data of either or both of the directory entry and the link list recorded in the FAT. There is a risk of destroying data when performing operations.

Further, when the whole or part of the link list, which is the information indicating the chain of clusters recorded in the FAT, is indicated by another directory entry, or the information indicated by the link list is Even when the end of the chain of clusters is indicated by the information indicating that the data is not recorded, the data may be destroyed when the next data recording operation or erasing operation is performed.

Therefore, when the system control circuit 50 detects an abnormality of the file management information as described above, it displays a warning of the abnormality of the file management information and displays a directory entry or a link list recorded in the FAT. The file management information is corrected, and the use of the problematic part in the information data recording area 104 is prohibited.

Next, the system control circuit 50 transfers the camera-related data and recording medium-related data recorded in the information data recording area 104 of the recording medium 100 to the interface 106, the connector 108, the connector 30, the interface 26, and the memory control circuit. 20 (step S90 in the figure), and if camera-related data or recording medium-related data exists in the information data recording area 104 of the recording medium 100 (step S91 in the figure), The camera-related data and the recording medium-related data are read from the information data recording area 104, and the photographing mode and the recording mode are set and executed according to the read data and program (step S92 in the figure).

As the camera-related data, the system identification data such as the type of camera unit in the system, the serial number, the white balance adjustment value in the camera unit,
Autofocus adjustment value in camera section, automatic exposure adjustment value in camera section, image sensor 1 in camera section
4 shows the sensitivity unevenness and its correction value, the temperature characteristics of various parts in the camera unit and its correction value, the recording medium identification data indicating the recording medium that can be used in this system, the damaged portion of the recording medium, and other information related to the camera unit. Data, a program for operating the system control circuit 50, and the like are set, and the recording medium-related data includes a recording medium identification number unique to the recording medium such as a manufacturing number of the recording medium 100, and data of the recording medium 100. Or the number of times the hard disk device is activated when the recording medium 100 is a hard disk device, and when the recording medium 100 is a memory card, for each block in the data recording area of the memory card. Data indicating the number of times data is erased is set, and each part of the system is set according to these data and programs. The execution of the numerical values and operating mode settings and programs necessary for the operation or photographing and recording operations.

Of the recording medium-related data, the data indicating the recording structure of the data of the recording medium 100 is one track on the hard disk of the hard disk device when the recording medium 100 is a hard disk device. , The number of sectors that form one track on the hard disk in the hard disk device, the number of heads of the hard disk device, the number of sectors that form one cluster, the total number of clusters, and the position of the first sector of the first FAT. Information, position information of the first sector of the second FAT, position information of the first sector of the directory entry,
Position information of the first sector of the information data area, the last indicating the cluster at which position the data is recorded.
Allocation cluster, next free cluster that indicates from which position data can be recorded, number of used clusters that indicates the number of clusters in which data is recorded, and how many clusters can record data There is an unused cluster number indicating

The position information of each head sector described above is composed of data such as a hard disk cylinder number, head number, and sector number.

Then, in the step S91, the system control circuit 50 reads the ROM in the system control circuit 50 when there is no camera-related data or recording medium-related data in the information data recording area 104 of the recording medium 100. Alternatively, the photographing mode and the recording mode are set and executed according to data indicating various standard values stored in advance in the ROM of the memory 52 and a standard program (step S93 in the figure).

As described above, data and programs necessary for operating the system are recorded in advance in the recording medium 100 such as a memory card or a hard disk, and the data and programs are read into the system control circuit 50 at the time of system startup. It can be configured to set and execute the required numerical values and operation modes during system operation.

When the setting and execution of the photographing mode and the recording mode as described above are completed, the search operation routine is terminated,
Return to the original operation routine.

FIG. 9 is a flow chart for explaining another recording operation routine in step S29 of FIG. 3 in detail.

In FIG. 9, the system control circuit 50 is
First, as the additional information related to the image data to be recorded on the recording medium 100, for example, data corresponding to information or numbers indicating characters, voices, pictures, etc., which can be arbitrarily set by the operator, is stored in the memory control circuit. Image memory 24 through 20
(Step S101 in the figure).

The data corresponding to the additional information is supplied to the image memory 24 from an additional information data generator which generates additional information data in accordance with the operation of an unillustrated non-information data input switch in the switch group 56, Alternatively, from a voice input device (not shown) provided as an external device of the system, the connector 34, the data communication control circuit 2
8 is supplied to the image memory 24 via the interface 26.

Then, the system control circuit 50 causes the file name, the file attribute, the file creation date, the file creation time, etc., necessary for creating the image file formed by recording the image data on the recording medium 100. Is generated and stored in a part of the data recording area of the image memory 24 via the memory control circuit 20 (step S102 in the figure).

A part or all of the data indicating the file name is formed from the identification number unique to the system such as the manufacturing number of the system main body and the cumulative number of photographed and recorded screens of the image signal recorded on the recording medium 100. The identification number unique to the recording medium 100, such as data indicating the identification number or identification symbol unique to the captured recording image, or the serial number of the recording medium 100, and the cumulative capturing recording screen of the image signals recorded on the recording medium 100. It corresponds to the data indicating the identification signal or identification symbol peculiar to the captured and recorded image, and when the image files are created, by adding the data indicating the file name to each image file, the image files having the same file name It becomes possible to prevent the occurrence of.

In the photographing-related data, the system-specific identification number, such as the system serial number, and the cumulative number of photographed and recorded screens of the image signal recorded on the recording medium 100, or the recording number of the recording medium 100. Etc. recording medium 1
00 specific identification signal and the cumulative number of captured image recording screens of the image signal recorded on the recording medium 100, and includes data corresponding to the identification signal unique to the captured and recorded image, and a part of the data indicating the file name or All are data corresponding to an identification signal or an identification symbol indicating that data corresponding to an identification signal unique to an image recorded and recorded is included in the image-related data, and each image file is created when an image file is created. If the data indicating the file name is added, the data indicating the file name serves as an index for searching the shooting-related data, so that the image file having the same file name can be prevented from being generated. .

Then, the system control circuit 50 transfers the image data stored in the image memory 24 to the recording medium 100.
When recording in the information data recording area 104, the management data recording area 102 of the recording medium 100 is recorded together with the image data.
While recording management data such as FAT indicating a usage state for each cluster, which is a usage unit of the information data recording area 104, to be recorded in the image memory 24 while being stored in a part of the recording area of the image memory 24. Read image data, shooting-related data including data corresponding to the identification number unique to the captured and recorded image, and data corresponding to the additional information from the image memory 24, and the memory control circuit 20 and the interface 26 are read. The recording medium 1 via the connector 30, the connector 108, and the interface 106.
00 in the information data recording area 104, and subsequently, a FAT or the like representing the usage state of each cluster, which is a usage unit of the information data recording area 104 stored in a part of the data recording area of the image memory 24. The management data is transferred to the recording medium 1 via the memory control circuit 20, the interface 26, the connector 30, the connector 108, and the interface 106.
00 in the management data recording area 102, and further stored in a part of the data recording area of the image memory 24,
Data indicating the file name, file attributes, file creation date, file creation time, etc., necessary for creating an image file are stored in the memory control circuit 20 and the interface 2.
6, connector 30, connector 108, interface 1
Management data recording area 1 of the recording medium 100 via 06.
No. 02 (step S103 in the figure).

A detailed description of the recording operation of the image file will be given later.

By the way, in the photographing-related data recorded together with the image data in the information data recording area 104 of the recording medium 100 during the recording operation of the image file in the step S103, in addition to the identification number peculiar to the photographed recorded image, Type number and manufacturing number of system body, size and type and total number of pixels of image sensor 14 installed in system body, presence or absence of color filter, type and configuration and characteristics of color filter or identification numbers thereof, infrared cutoff filter Characteristics or its identification number, optical low-pass filter characteristics or its identification number, the type number and serial number of the lens used for shooting, the focal length of the shooting lens at the time of shooting, ranging distance, aperture value, shutter speed value, Continuous shooting speed value, shooting date, shooting time, shooting temperature,
There is data indicating the type of white balance, the color temperature at the time of shooting, whether or not the strobe device is used, the strobe device type number, the manufacturing number, and the like.

Then, when the image data to be recorded on the recording medium 100 remains in the image memory 24, the system control circuit 50 returns to step S101,
When a series of image file recording processing operations as described above are repeated (step S104 in the drawing) and there is no image data to be recorded in the recording medium 100 in the image memory 24, the system control circuit 50 causes the camera-related data to be recorded. , Storage medium related data, interface 26, connector 3
0, the connector 108, and the interface 106 to record in the camera-related data recording area 114 of the recording medium 100 (step S105 in the figure).

Then, the system control circuit 50 indicates a file name, a file attribute, a file creation date, a file creation time, etc., which are necessary when recording the camera-related data and the storage medium-related data as a file on the recording medium 100. Data is generated and stored in a part of the data recording area of the image memory 24 via the memory control circuit 20 (step S106 in the figure).

Then, the system control circuit 50 transfers the image data stored in the image memory 24 to the recording medium 100.
When recording in the information data recording area 104, the management data recording area 102 of the recording medium 100 is recorded together with the image data.
While recording management data such as FAT indicating a usage state for each cluster, which is a usage unit of the information data recording area 104, to be recorded in the image memory 24 while being stored in a part of the recording area of the image memory 24. The recorded image data, the camera-related data and the storage medium-related data are read from the image memory 24, and the information data recording area of the recording medium 100 is passed through the memory control circuit 20, the interface 26, the connector 30, the connector 108, and the interface 106. F, which represents the usage state of each cluster, which is a usage unit of the information data recording area 104 stored in a part of the data recording area of the image memory 24.
Management data such as an AT is recorded in the management data recording area 102 of the recording medium 100 via the memory control circuit 20, the interface 26, the connector 30, the connector 108, and the interface 106, and one of the data recording areas of the image memory 24 is recorded. The recording medium 1 in which the camera-related data and the storage-medium-related data stored in the unit are stored as a file.
The data indicating the file name, the file attribute, the file creation date, the file creation time, etc., necessary for recording in 00 are recorded on the recording medium via the memory control circuit 20, the interface 26, the connector 30, the connector 108, and the interface 106. The data is recorded in the management data recording area 102 of 100 (step S107 in the figure).

A detailed description of the file recording operation will be given later.

The camera-related data includes system identification data such as the type of camera unit in the system, serial number, white balance adjustment value in the camera unit, auto focus adjustment value in the camera unit, and automatic exposure adjustment in the camera unit. Value, the image sensor 14 in the camera unit
Sensitivity unevenness and its correction value, temperature characteristics of various parts in the camera section and its correction value, recording medium identification data indicating the recording medium that can be used in this system, damaged part of the recording medium, and data indicating other information related to the camera section. And a program for operating the system control circuit 50 are set, and the recording medium-related data includes a recording medium identification number unique to the recording medium such as a serial number of the recording medium 100 and data of the recording medium 100. The recording structure, or the number of times the hard disk device is started when the recording medium 100 is a hard disk device, and the data for each block in the data recording area of the memory card when the recording medium 100 is a memory card Data indicating the number of erasures and the like is set.

In the data showing the recording structure of the data of the recording medium 100 among the recording medium-related data, if the recording medium 100 is a hard disk device,
The number of sectors forming one track on the hard disk in the hard disk device, the number of heads of the hard disk device, the number of sectors forming one cluster, the total number of clusters, the position information of the first sector of the first FAT, the second FA
Position information of the first sector of T, position information of the first sector of the directory entry, position information of the first sector of the information data recording area 104, last allocation cluster indicating up to which cluster the data is recorded, Next free cluster that indicates from which position cluster data is recorded, number of used clusters that indicates the number of clusters that record data, number of unused clusters that indicates how many clusters can record data, etc. There is.

The position information of each head sector is composed of data such as the hard disk cylinder number, head number and sector number.

The system control circuit 50, among the data and programs set in the camera-related data and the recording medium-related data as described above, records the data in the recording medium 100 or displays the contents of the recorded data and programs. The data or program of the portion that needs to be rewritten is written in the image memory 24.

For example, when the camera-related data is not recorded in the camera-related data recording area 114 of the recording medium 100 mounted in the system body, the camera-related data generated by the system control circuit 50 of the system body is stored. The recording medium 10 may be recorded, and the recording medium 10 as described above may be recorded every time image data is recorded, reproduced, or erased.
Data having a data recording structure of 0, the number of times the hard disk device is started when the recording medium 100 is a hard disk device, and each block in the data recording area of the memory card when the recording medium 100 is a memory card. The data indicating the number of times the data is erased may be updated as necessary.

As described above, the data and programs necessary for the operation of each part of the system and the shooting / recording operation are recorded in advance on the recording medium 100 such as a memory card or a hard disk, and the system can be updated if necessary. The system control circuit 50 can read and execute the data and the program recorded in the recording medium 100 at the time of starting.

When the series of processing operations as described above are completed, the image file recording operation is ended.

Hereinafter, referring to the flow charts shown in FIGS. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11, the electronic still video system according to the third embodiment of the present invention will be described. The operation of the system will be described.

FIGS. 10 and 11 are flowcharts showing the main operation routine of the electronic still video system shown in FIG. 1 as a whole.

10 and 11, the system control circuit 50 initializes various flags and control variables by mounting the power supply unit 82 on the system main body (step S111 in the drawings), and then the battery replacement flag. Is set in the nonvolatile memory 90 (step S112 in the figure), and the operation mode of the system is set to the standby mode (step S113 in the figure).

As described above, when the battery replacement flag is set in the nonvolatile memory 90, the system control circuit 50 can determine that the battery in the power supply unit 82 has been replaced.

Then, when the operation mode of the system is set to the standby mode, the system control circuit 50 turns off the display on the display device 54 as necessary, and the power supply control circuit 80 controls each unit as necessary. To stop unnecessary power consumption.

Then, the system control circuit 50 determines whether or not the recording medium 100 such as a memory card or a hard disk is connected to the system body (step S114 in the figure), and the recording medium 100 is mounted in the system body. If it is determined that the recording medium 1 is not present, the recording medium connection flag is cleared (step S117 in the figure), the process proceeds to step S118 described below, and the recording medium 1 is added to the system main body.
If it is determined that 00 is mounted, the recording medium connection flag is set (step S115 in the figure), and the type of recording medium in the recording medium 100, the data recordable capacity, the characteristics of the recording medium, etc. are identified. Information data, the recording medium 1
The camera-related data, the recording medium-related data, and the management data used at the time of shooting and recording the image data recorded in 00 are read from the recording medium, and the recording state in the recording medium 100 is searched (step S116 in the figure). .

Since the detailed description of the search operation has been made based on FIG. 4 in the first embodiment and based on FIG. 8 in the second embodiment, a detailed description will be given here. Is omitted.

As described above, when the recording medium 100 is loaded in the system body, the system control circuit 50
Starts the recording medium 100, reads the data indicating the type of the recording medium, the recordable capacity of the data, etc., detects whether there is an abnormality in the file management information, and if there is an abnormality, the management information Can be corrected, an abnormality occurrence warning can be displayed, and the use of problem areas in the information data recording area 104 can be prohibited.

Then, in the system control circuit 50, the main switch 60 is turned on (step S11 in the figure).
8) If the operation mode of the system is the standby mode (step S122 in the figure), the standby mode is released (step S123 in the figure), and the system control circuit 50 needs the display on the display device 54. The power supply control circuit 80 supplies necessary power to each unit for a necessary period.

Then, the system control circuit 50 reads, from the non-volatile memory 90, necessary data such as data indicating the cumulative number of photographed and recorded screens of the image signal recorded in the recording medium 100, a battery replacement flag, and the like, When the battery replacement flag stored in the register in the system control circuit 50 or the memory 52 (step S124 in the drawing) and indicating that the battery in the power supply unit 82 is replaced is detected (step S125 in the drawing). ), The data indicating the cumulative number of photographed and recorded screens is advanced by a predetermined number (for example, 100 screens) and reset, and then the setting of the battery replacement flag in the nonvolatile memory 90 is canceled (step S126 in the figure). ).

Further, the system control circuit 50 determines that the operation mode of the system is not the standby mode in step S122 even if the main switch 60 is on in step S118, or the nonvolatile memory 90 in step S125. If the battery replacement flag is not detected from the data or the flag read further, and it is detected that the battery in the power supply unit 82 is not replaced, step S127 described later.
Proceed to.

On the other hand, in step S118, it is detected that the main switch 60 is off, and
When the operation mode of the system is not the standby mode (step S119 in the figure), the system control circuit 50
Reads from the register or memory 52 in the system control circuit 50 the necessary data or flags such as the data indicating the cumulative number of captured and recorded screens of the image signal recorded on the recording medium 100, the battery replacement flag, and the nonvolatile memory. After writing to the memory 90 (step S120 in the figure) and setting the operation mode of the system to the standby mode (step S121 in the figure), the process returns to the step S114 for detecting the presence / absence of a recording medium.

When it is detected in step S118 that the main switch 60 is off and the system operation mode is the standby mode in step S119, it is detected whether or not the recording medium is loaded in step S114. Return to.

Next, the system control circuit 50 checks whether or not the recording medium connection flag is set, and the recording medium 100 is attached to the system body (step S12 in the figure).
7), and recording medium 10 connected to the system body
When it is determined that the write protect data indicating the write protect is not set in the write protect information recording area 110 of 0 (step S12 in the figure).
8), identification information data of the recording medium 100, camera related data, recording medium related data, management data recorded in the management data recording area 102 of the recording medium 100, various modes set by the switch group 56, and system main body Based on various mode settings set according to the type of the recording medium 100 connected to the recording medium 100, the number of recordable remaining screens recorded on the recording medium 100, the date, the shooting operation mode, various messages, etc. are displayed on the display device. It is displayed (step S129 in the figure).

Further, the system control circuit 50 checks whether or not the recording medium connection flag is set, and determines that the recording medium 100 is not attached to the system body (step S127 in the figure), or the write protect data. When it is determined that is set (step S in the figure)
In 128), a warning display indicating that the recording medium 100 is not connected or the write protect data is set is displayed by the display device 54, and then the presence / absence of the recording medium is detected in step S114. Return (step S131 in the figure).

Then, the system control circuit 50 checks whether or not the recording medium incompatibility flag corresponding to the recording medium 100 mounted in the system body is set, and the recording medium 100 mounted in the system body cannot be used in this system. If the recording medium 100 is a different recording medium or if the information data recording area 104 of the recording medium 100 does not have a vacant area in which data can be recorded (step S130 in the figure), the recording medium 100 cannot be used in the present system. After displaying a warning indicating that it is a medium or that there is no data recordable area in the information data recording area 104 of the recording medium 100,
Returning to the detection of the presence / absence of the mounting of the recording medium in the step S114 (step S131 in the figure).

Next, the system control circuit 50 detects the state of the distance measuring / photometric switch 62, and if the distance measuring / photometric switch 62 is in the off state, returns to the step S114 (step S132 in the figure). ), In the ON state, the distance measuring circuit 44 measures the distance to the subject,
By moving the focusing lens in the distance measuring circuit 44, the focus of the image pickup optical system 10 is focused on the subject, the brightness of the subject is measured by the photometric circuit 46, and the image pickup of the image pickup device 14 is performed according to the photometric result in the photometric circuit 46. The exposure control circuit 42 controls the diaphragm mechanism and the shutter mechanism in the exposure control member 12 so that the optical image of the subject formed on the surface has an optimum exposure amount.
The exposure of the subject is determined by (step S133 in the figure).

Then, the system control circuit 50 detects the state of the recording start switch 64, and the recording start switch 64 is detected.
The distance-measuring operation and the photometric operation in step S133 are repeated until is turned on (step S1 in the figure).
34), when it is detected that the recording start switch 64 is turned on, the photographing and recording operation is started, and the image pickup device 14
Image data obtained by digitizing the analog image signal output from the A / D converter 16 is stored in the image memory 24 (step S13 in the figure).
5).

A detailed description of the distance measuring operation and the photometric operation will be described with reference to FIG. 5 in the first embodiment, and a detailed description of the photographing operation will be described in FIG. 6 in the first embodiment. The detailed description is omitted here.

During the photographing operation as described above, the system control circuit 50 measures the number of screens of the photographed images and integrates the measured values to update the data indicating the cumulative number of photographed and recorded screens. Once stored in the register in the system control circuit 50 or the memory 52 (step S136 in the figure),
Further, the memory stores shooting-related data including data indicating the identification number unique to the system body such as the serial number of the system body and data indicating the identification number unique to the shooting and recording image obtained from the data indicating the cumulative number of shooting and recording screens. Control circuit 20
The image is stored in the image memory 24 via (step S in the figure).
137).

In addition to the identification number peculiar to the photographed and recorded image, the photographing-related data includes the type number and manufacturing number of the system body, the size and type of the image pickup device 14 installed in the system body, and the total number of pixels. Number, presence / absence of color filter, color filter type, configuration and characteristics or their identification numbers, infrared cutoff filter characteristics or its identification number, optical low pass filter characteristics or its identification number, type of photographing lens used for photographing No. and serial number, shooting lens focal length at the time of shooting, ranging distance, aperture value, shutter speed value, continuous shooting speed value, shooting date, shooting time, shooting temperature, white balance type, shooting color There is data indicating the temperature, whether or not the strobe device is used, the type number of the strobe device, the serial number, and the like.

Then, the system control circuit 50 determines that the value of the data indicating the cumulative number of shot recording screens in the shooting-related data stored in the image memory 24 is the cumulative shooting stored in the non-volatile memory 90. When the number of recording screens is increased by a predetermined number (for example, 100) from the value of the data indicating the number of recording screens (step S138 in the figure), the cumulative number of captured recording screens is set to another value such as a battery replacement flag. The contents and the flags stored in the non-volatile memory 90 are updated by reading the data and the flags from the register in the system control circuit 50 or the memory 52 and storing them in the non-volatile memory 90 (in the figure, Step S13
9).

In the above-described operation, only the data stored or set in the register in the system control circuit 50 or the memory 52 and the data indicating the cumulative number of photographed and recorded screens in the flags are read out, and the nonvolatile memory 9 is read.
By storing the data in 0, the contents of the data and the flag stored in the nonvolatile memory 90 may be updated.

In step S138, the system control circuit 50 causes the nonvolatile memory 90 to store the value of the data indicating the cumulative number of shot recording screens among the shooting-related data stored in the image memory 24. When the value does not increase by a predetermined number (for example, 100 images) from the value of the data indicating the cumulative number of captured and recorded screens, the process proceeds to step S140 described below.

Then, in step S140, when it is detected that the recording start switch 64 remains in the ON state and the instruction to continue the continuous shooting operation is detected, the system control circuit 50 causes the image memory to operate. If there is a vacant area in which image data can be stored in 24 (step S141 in the figure), the process returns to step S132, and the above-described processing operation is repeated to execute step S140.
In step S141, when it is detected that the recording start switch 64 is turned off and an instruction to interrupt the continuous shooting operation is detected, or in step S141, the image memory 24 has an empty area in which image data can be stored. If there is none and the shooting operation cannot be performed, the system control circuit 5
0 is the recording medium 100 for recording image data and shooting-related data.
Usage state for each cluster, which is a usage unit of the information data recording area 104, which should be stored in the management data recording area 102 of the recording medium 100 together with the image data and the shooting-related data when recording in the information data recording area 104 While storing the management data such as FAT representing a part of the data recording area of the image memory 24, the image data and the shooting-related data stored in the image memory 24 are read out, and the memory control circuit 20, the interface 26, the connector Three
0, connector 108, interface 106,
After recording in the information data recording area 104 of the recording medium 100, the management data such as the FAT is read from the image memory 24, and the memory control circuit 20 and the interface 2 are read.
6, the data is recorded in the management data recording area 102 of the recording medium 100 via the connector 30, the connector 108, and the interface 106.

The above processing operation is performed for each screen in a plurality of photographed images, and is repeated by the number of times corresponding to the number of screens of the photographed images. When the series of processing operations is completed, in step S114 described above. The process returns to the detection of whether or not the recording medium is attached (step S142 in the figure).

Since the detailed description of the recording operation has been made based on FIG. 7 in the first embodiment and FIG. 9 in the second embodiment, the detailed description will be omitted here.

In the present embodiment, the data stored in the non-volatile memory 90 or the content of the information indicated by the flag are data indicating the cumulative number of photographed and recorded screens of the image signal recorded on the recording medium 100, and the battery. Necessary data or flags such as exchange flags have been mentioned. However, camera-related data, recording medium-related data and data indicating the recording structure of the data in the recording medium 100, which will be described later, and particularly when the recording medium 100 is a hard disk device, May be configured to store the number of times the hard disk device is started up in the non-volatile memory 90.

The data indicating the recording structure of the data on the recording medium 100 is stored in the non-volatile memory 90 as the content of the data or the information indicated by the flag stored in the non-volatile memory 90. Each time the system operation mode is set to the standby mode, the data indicating the recording structure of the data in the recording medium 100 is read from the register in the system control circuit 50 or the memory 52 and stored in the non-volatile memory 90. Each time the setting of the standby mode is released, the data indicating the recording structure of the data in the recording medium 100 is read from the non-volatile memory 90, and is read and stored in the register in the system control circuit 50 or the memory 52. The data recording structure of the recording medium 100 is shown by configuring In order to obtain a chromatography data, the recording medium 100
It is possible to record or reproduce file data on the recording medium 100 without activating each time.

Further, when the recording medium 100 is a hard disk device, the data indicating the data recording structure of the recording medium 100 is the number of sectors constituting one track on the hard disk of the hard disk device. , The number of heads of the hard disk device, the number of sectors forming one cluster, the total number of clusters, the position information of the first sector of the first FAT, the position information of the first sector of the second FAT,
Position information of the first sector of the directory entry, position information of the first sector of the information data recording area, and a last indicating which cluster the data is recorded at.
Allocation cluster, next free cluster that indicates from which position data can be recorded, number of used clusters that indicates the number of clusters in which data is recorded, and how many clusters can record data There is an unused cluster number indicating

The position information of each head sector is composed of data such as the hard disk cylinder number, head number and sector number.

FIG. 12 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an electronic still video system to which the present invention has been applied, as a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

Hereinafter, referring to the flow charts shown in FIGS. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 13 and 14, an electronic still video system according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. The operation of the system will be described.

FIGS. 13 and 14 are flowcharts showing the main operation routine of the electronic still video system shown in FIG. 1 as a whole.

In FIG. 13 and FIG. 14, the power supply section 82 is attached to the system main body so that the system control circuit 5
0 initializes various flags and control variables and the like (step S151 in the figure), and then sets the battery replacement flag to the nonvolatile memory 9
It is set to 0 (step S152 in the figure), and the operation mode of the system is set to the standby mode (step S153 in the figure).

As described above, when the battery replacement flag is set in the nonvolatile memory 90, the system control circuit 50 can determine that the battery in the power supply unit 82 has been replaced.

Then, after performing the necessary processing, the battery replacement flag may be cleared.

Then, when the operation mode of the system is set to the standby mode, the system control circuit 50 turns off the display on the display device 54 as necessary, and the power supply control circuit 80 controls each unit as necessary. To stop unnecessary power consumption.

Then, the system control circuit 50 determines whether or not the recording medium 100 such as a memory card or a hard disk is connected to the system body (step S154 in the figure), and the recording medium 100 is mounted on the system body. If it is determined that the recording medium is not connected, the recording medium connection flag is cleared (step S157 in the figure), the process proceeds to step S158, which will be described later, and the recording medium 1 is added to the system body.
If it is determined that 00 is mounted, the recording medium connection flag is set (step S155 in the figure), and the type of recording medium in the recording medium 100, the data recordable capacity, the characteristics of the recording medium, etc. are identified. Information data, the recording medium 1
The camera-related data and the recording medium-related data used at the time of shooting and recording the image data recorded in 00 are read from the recording medium, and the recording state in the recording medium 100 is searched (step S156 in the figure).

Since the detailed description of the search operation has been made based on FIG. 4 in the first embodiment and based on FIG. 8 in the second embodiment, a detailed description will be given here. Is omitted.

As described above, when the recording medium 100 is attached to the system body, the system control circuit 50
Starts the recording medium 100, reads the data indicating the type of the recording medium, the recordable capacity of the data, etc., detects whether there is an abnormality in the file management information, and if there is an abnormality, the management information Can be corrected, an abnormal occurrence warning can be displayed, and the use of problem areas in the information data recording area 104 can be prohibited.

Then, in the system control circuit 50, the main switch 60 is turned on (step S15 in the figure).
8) If the operation mode of the system is the standby mode (step S162 in the figure), the standby mode is canceled (step S163 in the figure), and the system control circuit 50 needs the display on the display device 54. The power supply control circuit 80 supplies necessary power to each unit for a necessary period.

Then, the system control circuit 50 interfaces the nonvolatile memory 116 with necessary data or flags such as data indicating the cumulative number of photographed and recorded screens of the image signal recorded on the recording medium 100 and a battery replacement flag. A battery replacement flag stored in the register or the memory 52 in the system control circuit 50 via the connector 106, the connector 108, the connector 30, and the interface 26 (step S164 in the figure) to indicate that the battery in the power supply unit 82 has been replaced. Is detected (step S165 in the figure), the data indicating the cumulative number of photographed and recorded screens is moved up by a predetermined number (for example, 100 screens) and reset, and then the battery in the nonvolatile memory 116 is reset. The setting of the exchange flag is canceled (step S166 in the figure).

In addition, even if the main switch 60 is in the ON state in step S158, the system control circuit 50 determines that the operation mode of the system is not the standby mode in step S162, or the nonvolatile memory 116 in step S165. When the battery replacement flag is not detected from the read data or flag and it is detected that the battery in the power supply unit 82 is not replaced, step S167 described below is performed.
Proceed to.

On the other hand, it is detected in step S158 that the main switch 60 is in the off state, and
When the operation mode of the system is not the standby mode (step S159 in the figure), the system control circuit 50
The interface 26, the connector 30, the data indicating the cumulative image recording screen of the image signal recorded on the recording medium 100, the necessary data such as the battery replacement flag, or the flag, from the register or the memory 52 in the system control circuit 50, the connector 30, Connector 108, interface 106
After writing to the non-volatile memory 116 via (step S160 in the figure) and setting the operation mode of the system to the standby mode (step S161 in the figure), the process returns to the step S154 to detect the presence or absence of the recording medium.

If it is detected in step S158 that the main switch 60 is off and the system operation mode is the standby mode in step S159, it is detected whether or not the recording medium is loaded in step S154. Return to.

Next, the system control circuit 50 checks whether or not the recording medium connection flag is set, and the recording medium 100 is attached to the system body (step S16 in the figure).
7), and recording medium 10 connected to the system body
If it is determined that the write protect data indicating the write protect is not set in the recording area 110 of the write protect information of 0 (step S16 in the figure).
8), identification information data of the recording medium 100, camera related data, recording medium related data, management data recorded in the management data recording area 102 of the recording medium 100, various modes set by the switch group 56, and system main body Based on various mode settings set according to the type of the recording medium 100 connected to the recording medium 100, the number of recordable remaining screens recorded on the recording medium 100, the date, the shooting operation mode, various messages, etc. are displayed on the display device. It is displayed (step S169 in the figure).

Further, the system control circuit 50 checks whether or not the recording medium connection flag is set, and determines that the recording medium 100 is not attached to the system body (step S167 in the figure), or the write protect data. When it is determined that is set (step S in the figure)
168), a warning display indicating that the recording medium 100 is not connected or that the write protect data is set is displayed by the display device 54, and then the presence / absence of the recording medium is detected in step S154. Return (step S171 in the figure).

Then, the system control circuit 50 checks whether or not the recording medium incompatibility flag corresponding to the recording medium 100 mounted in the system body is set, and the recording medium 100 mounted in the system body cannot be used in this system. If the recording medium 100 is a different recording medium or if the information data recording area 104 of the recording medium 100 does not have a free area in which data can be recorded (step S170 in the figure), the recording medium 100 cannot be used in the present system. After displaying a warning indicating that it is a medium or that there is no data recordable area in the information data recording area 104 of the recording medium 100,
The process returns to the step S154 for detecting the presence / absence of a recording medium (step S171 in the figure).

Next, the system control circuit 50 detects the state of the distance measuring / photometric switch 62, and when the distance measuring / photometric switch 62 is in the off state, returns to the step S154 (step S172 in the figure). ), In the ON state, the distance measuring circuit 44 measures the distance to the subject,
By moving the focusing lens in the distance measuring circuit 44, the focus of the image pickup optical system 10 is focused on the subject, the brightness of the subject is measured by the photometric circuit 46, and the image pickup of the image pickup device 14 is performed according to the photometric result in the photometric circuit 46. The exposure control circuit 42 controls the diaphragm mechanism and the shutter mechanism in the exposure control member 12 so that the optical image of the subject formed on the surface has an optimum exposure amount.
The exposure of the subject is determined by (step S173 in the figure).

Then, the system control circuit 50 detects the state of the recording start switch 64, and the recording start switch 6
The distance measuring operation and the photometric operation in step S173 are repeated until step 4 is turned on (step S in the figure).
173), when it is detected that the recording start switch 64 is turned on, the photographing and recording operation is started, and the image pickup device 1
The analog image signal output from the A.D.
The image data obtained by digitizing the image is stored in the image memory 24 (step S17 in the figure).
5).

A detailed description of the distance measuring operation and the photometric operation will be described with reference to FIG. 5 in the first embodiment, and a detailed description of the photographing operation will be described in FIG. 6 in the first embodiment. The detailed description is omitted here.

During the photographing operation as described above, the system control circuit 50 measures the number of screens of the image photographed and recorded on the recording medium 100 and integrates the measured values to show the cumulative number of photographed and recorded screens. The data is updated and the system control circuit 50
The data is temporarily stored in the internal register or the memory 52 (step S176 in the figure), and further shows the data indicating the identification number unique to the recording medium, such as the manufacturing number of the recording medium 100, and the cumulative number of photographed recording screens of the recording medium 100. Image-related data including an identification number unique to the image-recorded image obtained from the data is stored in the image memory 24 via the memory control circuit 20 (step S177 in the figure).

Note that, in the above-mentioned photographing-related data, in addition to the identification number peculiar to the photographed and recorded image, the type number and manufacturing number of the system body, and the image pickup device 1 installed in the system body.
4, size and type and total number of pixels, presence or absence of color filter, type and configuration and characteristics of color filter or their identification numbers, infrared cutoff filter characteristics or its identification number, optical low-pass filter characteristics or its identification number, photography Type and serial number of the photographic lens used for, the focal length of the photographic lens at the time of shooting, distance measurement, aperture value, shutter speed value, continuous shooting speed value, shooting date, shooting time, shooting temperature, white There is data indicating the type of balance, the color temperature at the time of shooting, whether or not the strobe device is used, the type number of the strobe device, and the serial number.

Then, the system control circuit 50 records, in the non-volatile memory 90, the value of the data indicating the cumulative number of photographed and recorded screens of the recording medium 100 among the photographing related data stored in the image memory 24. If a predetermined number (for example, 100 images) is added to the value of the data indicating the cumulative number of photographed and recorded screens (step S178 in the figure), the cumulative number of photographed and recorded screens of the recording medium 100 is set. By reading from the register or the memory 52 in the system control circuit 50 together with other data and flags such as a battery replacement flag and storing them in the non-volatile memory 116 via the interface 26, the connector 30, the connector 108, and the interface 106, The contents of data and flags stored in the nonvolatile memory 116 are updated (step S1 in the figure). 9).

In the above-mentioned operation, only the data indicating the cumulative number of photographed recording screens among the data and flags stored or set in the register in the system control circuit 50 or the memory 52 is read out, and the nonvolatile memory 1
Alternatively, the contents of data and flags stored in the nonvolatile memory 116 may be updated by recording the data in the memory 16.

In step S178, the system control circuit 50 determines that the value of the data indicating the cumulative number of photographed and recorded screens of the recording medium 100 in the photographing-related data stored in the image memory 24 is the nonvolatile value. Memory 9
When the value does not increase by a predetermined number (for example, 100 images) from the value of the data indicating the cumulative number of captured and recorded screens stored in 0, the process proceeds to step S180 described later.

Then, in step S180, when it is detected that the recording start switch 64 remains in the ON state and the instruction to continue the continuous photographing operation is detected, the system control circuit 50 causes the image If the memory 24 has a free area in which image data can be stored (step S181 in the figure), the process returns to step S172, and the above-described processing operation is repeated to execute the step S18.
In step S181, it is detected that the recording start switch 64 is turned off and an instruction to interrupt the continuous shooting recording operation is detected, or in step S181, the image memory 24 has a free space for storing image data. When there is no area and the shooting operation cannot be performed, the system control circuit 50 records the image data and the shooting-related data together with the image data and the shooting-related data when recording the image data and the shooting-related data in the information data recording area 104 of the recording medium 100. When recording in the information data recording area 104 of the recording medium 100, for each cluster that is a unit of use of the information data recording area 104, which should be stored in the management data recording area 102 of the recording medium 100 together with the image data and the shooting-related data. F indicating the usage status of
While storing the management data such as AT in a part of the data recording area of the image memory 24, the image data and the shooting-related data stored in the image memory 24 are read out, and the memory control circuit 20, the interface 26, the connector 30,
After recording in the information data recording area 104 of the recording medium 100 via the connector 108 and the interface 106,
The management data such as the FAT is read from the image memory and recorded in the management data recording area 102 of the recording medium 100 via the memory control circuit 20, the interface 26, the connector 30, the connector 108, and the interface 106.

The above-described processing operation is performed for each screen in a plurality of captured images, and is repeated by the number of times corresponding to the number of screens of the captured image, and when a series of processing operations is completed, in step S154. The process returns to the detection of whether or not the recording medium is attached (step S182 in the figure).

Since the details of the recording operation have been described with reference to FIG. 7 in the first embodiment and FIG. 9 in the second embodiment, detailed description will be omitted here.

In this embodiment, the data stored in the non-volatile memory 116 or the content of the information indicated by the flag is data indicating the cumulative number of photographed and recorded screens of the image signal recorded on the recording medium 100, and the battery. Although necessary data such as an exchange flag or flags are mentioned, camera-related data, recording medium-related data, and recording medium 100, which will be described later.
The data indicating the recording structure of the data, etc., and particularly in the case where the recording medium 100 is a hard disk device, the number of times the hard disk device is started, etc.
It may be configured to be stored in No. 6.

Then, as the content of the data or the information indicated by the flag stored in the non-volatile memory 116, the data indicating the recording structure of the data in the recording medium 100 is stored in the non-volatile memory 116. Every time the operation mode of the system is set to the standby mode, the data indicating the recording structure of the data in the recording medium 100 is read from the register in the system control circuit 50 or the memory 53 and stored in the nonvolatile memory 116. Each time the setting of the standby mode is released, the data indicating the recording structure of the data in the recording medium 100 is read from the non-volatile memory 116, and is read and stored in the register or the memory 52 in the system control circuit 50. By configuring the recording medium 100
In order to obtain the data indicating the data recording structure of the recording medium 100, the recording medium 100 is not activated each time.
It becomes possible to record or reproduce file data for.

Further, when the recording medium 100 is a hard disk device, the data representing the data recording structure of the above-mentioned recording medium 100 is the number of sectors constituting one track on the hard disk of the hard disk device. , The number of heads of the hard disk device, the number of sectors forming one cluster, the total number of clusters, the position information of the first sector of the first FAT, the position information of the first sector of the second FAT,
Position information of the first sector of the directory entry, position information of the first sector of the information data recording area, and a last indicating which cluster the data is recorded at.
Allocation cluster, next free cluster that indicates from which position data can be recorded, number of used clusters that indicates the number of clusters in which data is recorded, and how many clusters can record data There is an unused cluster number indicating

The position information of each head sector is composed of data such as the hard disk cylinder number, head number and sector number.

FIG. 15 is a flow chart for explaining the file search operation routine in step S41 of FIG. 4 and step S87 of FIG. 8 in detail.

In FIG. 15, the system control circuit 50
Is the recording medium 10 connected to the system main body 200.
The management data indicating various parameters recorded in the management data recording area 102 of 0 is read out, and the recording medium 100 is read.
After the data is stored in a part of the data recording area of the image memory 24 through the interface 106, the connector 108, the connector 30 of the system main body, the interface 26, and the memory control circuit 20, the system control is performed again through the memory control circuit 20. By storing the data in the register in the circuit 50 or the memory 52, the drive parameters used for recording data on the recording medium 100 are initialized (step S201 in the figure).

By the way, the drive parameters include, for example, the FA recorded in the management data recording area 102.
There are data indicating the first sector of T, the first sector of the directory entry, the first sector of the data recorded in the information data recording area 104, the last allocation cluster indicating the number of the cluster in which the data was recorded last, and the like. .

A detailed description of the drive parameter initialization operation will be given later.

When the drive parameter initialization operation is completed (step S202 in the figure), the data indicating the directory entry recorded in the management data recording area 102 of the recording medium 100 is searched (in the figure). Step S203).

The detailed description of the search operation of the data indicating the directory entry will be described later.

If an entry capable of recording data is detected by searching the data indicating the directory entry (step S20 in the figure).
4), FA recorded in the management data recording area 102
Search for data indicating T (step S20 in the figure)
5).

The detailed description of the search operation of the data indicating the FAT will be described later.

If a cluster capable of recording data is detected in the information data recording area 104 by searching the data indicating the FAT, the search operation routine is terminated and the original operation is completed. Return to routine.

During the file search operation routine described above,
In the step S201, the drive parameter initialization operation is not successful (step S202 in the figure), or in the step S203, a directory entry capable of recording data cannot be detected (in the figure, In step S204), further, in the step S205, when a cluster capable of recording data is not detected in the data indicating the FAT (step S206 in the figure), the system control circuit 50 sets the recording disabled flag. After setting (step S207 in the figure), the file search operation routine is terminated,
Return to the original operation routine.

FIG. 16 shows step S201 of FIG.
6 is a flowchart for explaining in detail a drive parameter initialization operation routine in FIG.

In FIG. 16, the system control circuit 50
Is the recording medium 10 connected to the system main body 200.
The management data indicating various parameters recorded in the management data recording area 102 of 0 is read out, and the recording medium 100 is read.
Data is recorded on the recording medium 100 by storing the data in a part of the data recording area of the image memory 24 via the interface 106, the connector 108, the connector 30 of the system main body, the interface 26, and the memory control circuit 20. Although the drive parameters used for the initialization are initialized, the system control circuit 50, if the drive parameters have not been initialized (step S211 in the figure), the management data recording area of the recording medium 100. From 102, the management data recording area 1 of the recording medium 100
02 and the data recorded in the partition entry sector including the partition information indicating the configuration of the information data recording area 104, and stored in a part of the data recording area of the image memory 24 (step S21 in the figure).
2).

If the system control circuit 50 confirms that a boot record indicating that the data recorded in the partition entry sector has correct information is present (in the figure, Step S2
13), after temporarily storing necessary parameters in a part of the data recording area of the image memory 24 from the partition data in the data read out from the partition entry sector, the registers in the system control circuit 50 or Stored in the memory 52 (step S21 in the figure)
4).

Subsequently, the system control circuit 50 determines the detailed configuration of the management data recording area 102 of the recording medium 100 and the information data recording area 104 from the management data recording area 102 of the recording medium 100 based on the detected parameters. The data recorded in the boot sector including the indicated information is read and stored in a part of the data recording area of the image memory 24 (step S215 in the figure), and the data recorded in the boot sector is correct information. If it is confirmed that there is a boot record indicating that it exists (step S216 in the figure), the necessary parameters are set in the image memory 24 from the data in the data read from the boot sector. After being temporarily stored in a part of the data recording area of the above, it is stored in the register or the memory 52 in the system control circuit 50 (see FIG. Step S217 of).

Then, the system control circuit 50 uses the numbers of the first sector of the FAT recorded in the management data recording area 102, the first sector of the directory entry, and the first sector of the data recorded in the information data recording area 104. Is calculated and stored in a register or memory 52 in the system control circuit 50 (step S in the figure).
218) Further, the number of clusters, which is the unit of use of the information data recording area 104, is calculated and stored in the register in the system control circuit 50 or the memory 52 (step S219 in the figure).

When the total number of calculated and stored clusters is 4096 or more, the 16-bit FAT is set to be used (steps S220 and S22 in the figure).
1) If less than 4096, after setting to use a 12-bit FAT (steps S220, S in the figure)
222), the system control circuit 50 initializes the last allocation cluster indicating the number of the cluster in which the data was last recorded (step S223 in the figure), ends the drive parameter initialization operation routine, and returns to the original Return to operation routine.

[0240] Further, the steps S213 and S
At 216, boot the data recorded in the partition entry sector or boot sector.
If the record does not exist, an error
The flag is set (step S224 in the figure), the drive parameter initialization operation routine is terminated, and the original operation routine is returned to.

FIG. 17 shows step S203 of FIG.
6 is a flowchart for explaining in detail a directory / entry search operation routine in FIG.

In FIG. 17, the system control circuit 50
Is the recording medium 10 connected to the system main body 200.
The data indicating the directory entry recorded in the management data recording area 102 of 0 is read out, and the recording medium 1
00 interface 106, connector 108, connector 30 of system body 200, interface 26, and memory control circuit 20 to store data in a part of the data recording area of the image memory 24, thereby searching for data indicating a directory entry. However, if the search operation of the data indicating the directory entry is not completed (step S23 in the figure)
1), data indicating the number of the first directory entry is set in a register in the system control circuit 50 (step S232 in the figure), and among the data recorded in the management data recording area 102 of the recording medium 100, The data recorded in the sector including the directory entry number set in the register in the system control circuit 50 is read (step S233 in the figure) and set in the register in the system control circuit 50. When the directory entry of the number indicates the data erased attribute (step S234 in the figure), the data indicating the number of the directory entry is stored in the data recording area set in the image memory 24 or in the system. Write to the register in the control circuit 50 or the memory 52 (step in the figure). S235).

Then, the number of the directory entry is incremented (step S238 in the figure) and the data is read until a directory entry having an attribute of unrecorded data is detected (step S236 in the figure). The search operation is continued until there are no unsearched directory entry numbers in the sector (step S239 in the figure).

Then, when the number of the unsearched directory entry in the sector from which the data is read is gone (step S239 in the figure), the sector number is incremented (step S240 in the figure), and the data is The search operation is continued until there is no sector number of the directory entry from which to read (step S2 in the figure).
41), if the sector number of the directory entry from which the data is read is gone (step S2 in the figure)
41), the empty directory / no entry flag is written in the register or memory 52 in the system control circuit 50, the directory / entry search operation routine is terminated, and the original operation routine is returned to (step S24 in the figure).
2).

Further, in the step S236, when the directory entry indicating the attribute in which the data is not recorded is detected, the system control circuit 50 stores the data indicating the number of the directory entry in the image memory 2.
The data recording area set to No. 4 or the register in the system control circuit 50 or the memory 52 is written (step S237 in the figure), the directory entry search operation routine is ended, and the original operation routine is returned to.

FIG. 18 shows step S205 of FIG.
File allocation table (FA
T) is a flow chart for explaining the search operation routine in detail.

18, the system control circuit 50 reads the management data recorded in the management data recording area 102 from the management data recording area 102 of the recording medium 100, and the interface 106, the connector 108, the system main body of the recording medium 100. FAT is indicated by temporarily writing in a data recording area set in the image memory 24 via the connector 30, interface 26, and memory control circuit 20 of the computer 200 and then reading it into a register or memory 52 in the system control circuit 50. Although the data search operation is performed, if the data search operation indicating the FAT has not been completed (step S251 in the figure), the system control circuit 50 stores the data in the system control circuit 50 as one of the drive parameters. Register or memory 52
The cluster number having a value obtained by adding "1" to the value indicated by the last allocation cluster stored in is stored in the register or the memory 52 in the system control circuit 50 (step S252 in the figure) and set. The data recorded in the sector including the cluster of the designated number is read from the management data recording area 102 of the recording medium 100 (step S253 in the figure).

Then, the system control circuit 50, in the information data recording area 104 of the recording medium 100, shows an empty FAT indicating that it is a cluster capable of recording data.
Is detected (step S25 in the figure).
4) Furthermore, if the detected empty FAT entry number is the one detected first (step S in the figure).
255), the FAT immediately before the entry number of the empty FAT
The entry number of is stored in the register or the memory 52 in the system control circuit 50 as the last allocation cluster (step S256 in the figure) so that the number of the cluster in which the data is recorded next is not newly searched. Will be able to detect.

Then, the system control circuit 50 displays an empty FAT.
Every time an entry is detected, the number of empty clusters is added up (step S257 in the figure), so that the recording medium 10
The amount of data that can be recorded in the information data recording area 104 of 0 can be detected without newly searching.

Further, the system control circuit 50 increments the FAT entry number (step S in the figure).
258), unsearched F in the sector reading the data
The search operation is continued until the AT entry number is exhausted (step S259 in the figure).

Then, when the number of the unsearched FAT entry in the sector from which the data is being read is gone (step S259 in the figure), the sector number is incremented (step S260 in the figure), and the Until the sector number of the FAT entry to read
The search operation continues (step S261 in the figure), and FA
When the sector number of the T entry is lost (step S261 in the figure), the FAT entry search operation routine is terminated and the original operation routine is returned to.

FIG. 19 is a flow chart for explaining the file recording operation routine in step S73 of FIG. 7 and steps S103 and S107 of FIG. 9 in detail.

In FIG. 19, the system control circuit 50
First, as one of the drive parameters, the cluster number of the value obtained by adding "1" to the value of the last allocation cluster stored in the register in the system control circuit 50 or the memory 52 is stored in the FAT. A data entry number is set in a register in the system control circuit 50 (step S271 in the figure), and the data recorded in the sector including the entry number of the set FAT is recorded in the management data of the recording medium 100. The interface 1 of the recording medium 100 is read from the management data recording area 102 of the recording medium 100 that is read from the area 102.
06, the connector 108, the connector 30 of the system main body 200, the interface 26, and the memory control circuit 20 to write to the data recording area set in the image memory 24 (step S272 in the figure).

[0254] Then, the system control circuit 50, in the information data recording area 104 of the recording medium 100, shows an empty F indicating that data recording is a recordable cluster.
Whether the AT entry number is detected (step S273 in the figure) or the FAT entry number is incremented (step S281 in the figure) to find the unsearched FAT entry in the sector reading the data. The search operation is continued until there are no more numbers (step S282 in the figure).

When the number of the unsearched FAT entry in the sector from which data is being read is exhausted (step S282 in the figure), the sector number is incremented (step S283 in the figure), and the data is The search operation is continued until the sector number of the FAT from which is read out (step S284 in the figure).

Further, when the empty FAT entry number is detected in step S273, the system control circuit 50 sets the detected empty FAT entry number as the cluster number in the system control circuit 50. When the recording medium 100 is a hard disk device, the system control circuit 50 obtains a cylinder number, a head number, and a sector number corresponding to the cluster number set in the register, and sets them in a register (step S274 in the figure).
It is designated as the interface 106 of the recording medium 100 (step S275 in the figure), and the image data stored in the image memory 24 is read by the memory control circuit 20.
The recording corresponding to the cylinder number, head number, and sector number designated for the interface 106 by the system control circuit 50 via the interface 26 of the system main body 200, the connector 30, the connector 108 of the recording medium 100, and the interface 106. Medium 10
It is recorded in the cluster in the information data recording area 104 of 0 (step S276 in the figure).

The system control circuit 50 also includes the image memory 24 set for storing the management data recorded in the management data recording area 102 of the recording medium 100.
The number of the cluster in the information data recording area 104 of the recording medium 100 in which the image data is recorded is stored in the FAT table provided in a part of the data recording area (step S277 in the figure).

In the recording operation described above, all the image data stored in the image memory 24 is read and the recording medium 1
It continues until it is recorded in 00 (step S27 in the figure).
8).

When the FAT table becomes full of stored data (step S279 in the figure), FA
Since the column of cluster numbers indicated by the data stored in the T table becomes the value of the FAT chain written in the FAT entry, the management of the recording medium 100 is performed in the corresponding FAT sector in the management data recording area 102 of the recording medium 100. The data recorded in the FAT table provided in a part of the data recording area of the image memory 24 set for storing the management data recorded in the data recording area 102 is stored in the memory of the system main body 200. Control circuit 2
0, interface 26, connector 30, recording medium 10
Recording is performed via the connector 108 of 0 and the interface 106 (step S280 in the figure).

When all the image data recorded in the image memory 24 are read out (step S2 in the figure).
78), at the end of the FAT table, write data “FFh” meaning a cluster at the end of the FAT chain (step S285 in the figure), and replace the data indicating the column of cluster numbers stored in the FAT table with the FAT. The data indicating the value of the entry number is recorded in the corresponding FAT sector in the management data recording area 102 of the recording medium 100 (step S286 in the drawing), and then the system control circuit 50 causes the recording medium 100 to be recorded. Information data recording area 1
The management data corresponding to the image data recorded in 04 is obtained, and the interface 26 of the system main body 200, the connector 30, the connector 108 of the recording medium 100, the interface are added to the empty directory entry in the management data recording area 102 of the recording medium 100. Recording via 106 (step S287 in the figure), system control circuit 5
Since 0 updates the value of the last allocation cluster, one of the drive parameters is data indicating the value of the last allocation cluster stored in the register in the system control circuit 50 or the memory 52. It rewrites and returns to the original operation routine (step S288 in the figure).

In the system of the present invention, as shown in this embodiment, the recording medium 100 is not limited to a memory card or a hard disk device, but a micro DAT (digital audio tape), a magneto-optical disk device, an optical disk device. The same effect as the present invention can be obtained.

Further, the system of the present invention is the same as the recording medium 10
Reference numeral 0 denotes a composite recording medium in which a memory card and a hard disk device are integrally formed, and the composite recording medium has a memory card portion or a hard disk portion that can be attached / detached and can be arbitrarily connected to or separated from the main body of the composite recording medium. Of course, the composite recording medium is not limited to a memory card, a hard disk device, a micro DAT,
A configuration in which two or more types of recording media including a magneto-optical disk and an optical disk are combined may be used.

In this embodiment, the recording medium 100 such as a memory card or a hard disk device is detachable from the system main body 200 and can be arbitrarily connected or separated.
It may have a configuration in which more than one type of recording medium can be connected,
In addition, two or more types of recording media are fixed to the system body, or a part of the two or more types of recording media is fixed to the system body and a part is attached to and detached from the system body. It may be possible and may be configured to be connected or disconnected arbitrarily.

As described above, in the present embodiment, when recording image data corresponding to an image in a recording medium such as a memory card or a hard disk, the number of shooting recording screens is counted and the counted shooting recording is performed. The number of screens is stored in a non-volatile memory in the system body, and the data corresponding to the number of image-capturing recording screens stored in the non-volatile memory is recorded as an identification number together with the image data in the recording medium. When the predetermined image data recorded is read out in file units and transferred to an external device such as an external computer, a printer device, a data transmission device, etc., and when the external device performs processing, print processing, data transmission processing, etc. , Other image data files may be confused with other image data files for reading, or other image data files may be deleted when deleting a predetermined image data file. It is possible to prevent that or accidentally erased erroneously mistaken for other files.

Further, in this embodiment, each time the number of shooting recording screens on the recording medium reaches a predetermined number, data corresponding to the number of shooting recording screens is stored in the nonvolatile memory in the system main body. As a result, the number of times data is rewritten to the non-volatile memory can be reduced and the life of the non-volatile memory can be extended.

Further, in the present embodiment, when the battery is removed from the system body and replaced, a predetermined number of data contents corresponding to the number of shooting record screens stored in the non-volatile memory in the system body are stored. By configuring to increase and update by the amount, the identification number added to the image data file already recorded on the recording medium is added to the image data file newly recorded on the recording medium and recorded. The predetermined image data recorded on the recording medium is read out in file units, transferred to an external device such as an external computer, a printer device, a data transmission device, and processed by the external device. When performing print processing, data transmission processing, etc., it may be confused with a file of other image data and read out, or the specified image data It is possible to prevent that or accidentally erased erroneously mistaken for a file of other image data at the time to erase the file.

[0267]

As described above, according to the present invention, the identification information for identifying the information signal recorded on the recording medium for each predetermined unit is added to the information signal with a simple structure. In doing so, it is possible to prevent incorrect identification information from being added to the information signal, and to add correct identification information to the information signal.
A user-friendly information signal that can be recorded on a recording medium, can accurately read the information signal recorded on the recording medium in a predetermined unit, and can perform various kinds of processing in an external device or erase the information signal. It becomes possible to provide a processing device.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an electronic still video system to which the present invention has been applied, as a first embodiment of the present invention.

2 is a part of a flowchart showing a main operation routine of the electronic still video system shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a part of a flowchart showing a main operation routine of the electronic still video system shown in FIG.

4 is a flowchart for explaining in detail a search operation routine in step S15 of FIG.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart for explaining in detail a distance measuring / photometric operation routine in step S20 of FIG.

6 is a flowchart for explaining in detail a photographing operation routine in step S22 of FIG.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart for explaining in detail a recording operation routine in step S29 of FIG.

FIG. 8 is a flow chart for explaining another search operation routine in step S15 of FIG. 2 in detail as a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart for explaining in detail another recording operation routine in step S29 of FIG. 3 as a second embodiment of the present invention.

10 is a part of a flow chart showing a main operation routine of the electronic still video system shown in FIG. 1 as a third embodiment of the present invention.

11 is a part of a flow chart showing a main operation routine of the electronic still video system shown in FIG. 1 as a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an electronic still video system to which the present invention has been applied, as a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

13 is a part of a flowchart showing a main operation routine of the electronic still video system shown in FIG.

14 is a part of a flowchart showing a main operation routine of the electronic still video system shown in FIG.

15 is a flow chart for explaining in detail the file search operation routine in step S41 of FIG. 4 and step S87 of FIG.

16 is a flow chart for explaining the drive parameter initialization operation routine in step S201 of FIG. 15 in detail.

17 is a flow chart for explaining in detail a directory / entry search operation routine in step S203 of FIG.

FIG. 18 is a flow chart for explaining the file allocation table search operation routine in step S205 of FIG. 15 in detail.

19 is a flow chart for explaining in detail the file recording operation routine in step S73 of FIG. 7 and steps S103 and S107 of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 Photography Systems 12 Exposure Control Member 14 Image Sensor 16 Analog / Digital Converter 20 Memory Control Circuit 22 Image Compression / Expansion Circuit 24 Image Memory 26 Interface 28 Data Communication Control Circuit 30 Connector 34 Connector 36 Digital / Analog Converter 38 Image Display Device 40 Lens circuit 42 Exposure control circuit 44 Distance measuring circuit 46 Photometric circuit 48 Strobe device 50 System control circuit 52 Control data memory 54 Display device 56 Switch group 58 Two-stage release switch 60 Main switch 62 Distance measuring / photometric switch 64 Recording start switch 66 shooting / recording mode selection switch 68 recording condition setting switch 70 erasing mode selection switch 72 erasing operation start instruction switch 74 electric transmission mode selection switch 76 electric transmission operation start instruction switch 80 electric Control circuit 82 Power supply unit 84 Connector 86 Connector 90 Non-volatile memory 100 Recording medium 102 Management data recording area 104 Information data recording area 106 Interface 108 Connector 110 Write protect information recording area 112 Medium identification information recording area 114 Camera-related data recording area 116 Non-volatile memory

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An apparatus for recording an information signal on a recording medium, wherein when the information signal is input and the input information signal is recorded on the recording medium, the information signals are recorded in the order of recording on the recording medium. An information signal processing apparatus comprising a recording means for adding corresponding management information to the information signal and recording the information signal on a recording medium. 2. The information signal processing device further comprises a measuring means for measuring the order in which the information signals are recorded on a recording medium,
Storage means for temporarily storing management information corresponding to the order in which the information signals are recorded on the recording medium, every time the order of the information signals measured by the measuring means and recorded on the recording medium reaches a predetermined order. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:
Information signal processing device described. 3. The information signal processing device further comprises a power supply means for supplying power necessary for operating the device, and the power supply means for interrupting power supply in the power supply means. 3. The information signal processing device according to claim 2, further comprising a control unit that updates management information corresponding to the order of the information signals recorded in the recording medium stored in the storage unit.