JPH11112860A - Digital electronic camera - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] In a digital electronic camera having a function of a mobile phone or a PHS, an easy-to-use digital electronic camera that automatically recognizes a function mode according to a direction in which a photographing camera unit is currently directed. Provide a camera. When taking a picture, a user turns a photographing camera section 21 outward as shown in FIG.
Recognizes that the user is about to take a picture, notifies the microcomputer 7 that the user is in the photographing mode, and functions as the photographing mode under the control of the microcomputer 7. Next, when using as a videophone, as shown in FIG. 1B, the user turns the photographing camera unit inward, and the direction sensor 11 recognizes that the user is going to use the videophone, and the videophone mode is set. Is transmitted to the microcomputer 7 and functions as a videophone mode under the control of the microcomputer 7.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a digital electronic camera, and more particularly, to a digital electronic camera having a function as a portable telephone or a PHS.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Recently, digital electronic cameras for recording a photographed image in a semiconductor memory device have been marketed by various companies, and these digital electronic cameras are easier to take the recorded image into a personal computer than a conventional silver halide camera. In addition, mobile phones and PHS are rapidly spreading. In particular, PHS is attracting attention as a multimedia device capable of performing high-speed data communication as well as a purpose of telephone communication, and various types of devices in which a mobile phone or a PHS is integrated with a digital electronic camera have been proposed.

[0003]

Here, the following examples of a conventional digital electronic camera having the functions of a portable telephone and a PHS have been proposed. First, an arbitrary image is taken.
Next, an image to be transmitted is selected from the captured images.
Then, an operation for transmission is performed by switches, and transmission is started. The function of transmitting the captured image to a remote place is realized.

[0004] When used as a telephone, a function as a video phone in which users talk while confirming each other's faces has also been realized.

By the way, when using these functions, it is natural that the user has to switch the functions of how to use the digital electronic camera. That is, when performing shooting and transmission, it is necessary to operate switches for that purpose, and when it is used as a videophone, such operation is also necessary. Therefore, the user must perform an operation according to the function, which is very troublesome.

Further, since the transmission of an image or the use as a videophone is a function that is not provided in conventional portable electronic devices, the user is not accustomed to operation in terms of operability, and erroneous operation. There is a problem that efficient operation cannot be performed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a digital electronic camera having a function of a portable telephone or a PHS, which automatically recognizes a function mode in accordance with a direction in which a photographing camera section is currently directed. It is to provide a camera.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above object, an image pickup means for converting a subject image into an electric signal by a solid-state image pickup device, and a storage means for processing the electric signal and storing it as image information in a storage medium. In a digital electronic camera having a communication circuit for performing data communication and a display circuit for displaying various information, a photographing camera unit variably provided with a photographing direction with respect to a camera body unit and a direction of the photographing camera unit are detected. A direction sensor for selecting at least one function mode among a plurality of function modes of the digital electronic camera in accordance with an output of the direction sensor, and operating in the selected function mode. Digital electronic camera.

According to the above configuration, in a digital electronic camera having a function of a cellular phone or a PHS, the digital electronic camera can be changed depending on the direction in which the photographing camera section whose direction is variable with respect to the camera body is currently pointed. Automatically recognize and operate the function mode.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of a digital electronic camera according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIGS. 1A and 1B are external views of an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an embodiment of a digital electronic camera of the present invention.

In the figure, 1 is a lens, 2 is an image pickup device such as a CCD, 3 is a signal processing device for creating image information, 4 is a memory A for storing at least one image information, and 5 is image information and text. A liquid crystal monitor for displaying information; 6 a memory B for storing image information for a plurality of images; 7 a microcomputer for system management; 8 an operation switch for user operation; 9 a microphone; A hinge for manually pointing in any direction, 11 a direction sensor for monitoring the direction the photographing camera unit is currently facing, 12 a communication circuit for performing communication, 13 an antenna, 21 for the photographing camera unit,
Reference numeral 22 denotes a camera body.

Specific operations of the digital electronic camera configured as described above when photographing an image, communicating the photographed image, and functioning as a videophone will be described below. When photographing an image, the user turns the photographing camera unit 21 outward as shown in FIG. The direction sensor 11 recognizes that the photographing camera unit is currently facing outward. That is, the user informs the microcomputer 7 that the photographing mode is going to be photographed.
Here, the direction sensor 11 is a known mechanical, electrical, magnetic, or optical sensor.

The digital electronic camera will be described below with reference to a microcomputer 7.
Function as a shooting mode under the management of. The subject formed by the lens 1 is converted into an electric signal by an image pickup device 2 such as a CCD. The signal processing circuit 3 creates image information from the electric signal and writes the image information in the memories A and 4. Here, in the shooting standby state, the image information is displayed on the liquid crystal monitor 5. The user takes a picture while checking the image on the LCD monitor 5. When the photographing is performed, the image information recorded in the image memories A and 4 is written into the memories B and 6 which store the image information of a plurality of images. The photographing of the image is performed as described above.

When transmitting the photographed image, memory B,
The thumbnail image of the image information recorded on the LCD 6 is displayed on the liquid crystal monitor 5 via the memories A and 4. The user selects an image to be transmitted according to the display on the liquid crystal monitor 5. Then, only the selected image is written to the memories A and 4 as a full size image. Then, the signal is transmitted to a remote place by the communication circuit 12 and the antenna 13. When receiving an image, the image is similarly recorded in the memories B and 6 via the antenna 13, the communication circuit 12, and the memories A and 4. Image communication is performed as described above.

When used as a videophone, FIG.
As shown in (b), the user turns the photographing camera unit 21 inward. The direction sensor 11 recognizes that the photographing camera unit 21 is currently turned inward, that is, the user intends to use it as a videophone, and informs the microcomputer 7 that it is in the videophone mode. Hereinafter, the digital electronic camera functions as a videophone mode under the control of the microcomputer 7. The user's own image formed by the lens 1 is CC
It is converted into an electric signal by the imaging device 2 such as D. The signal processing circuit 3 creates image information from the electric signal,
Write to 4. On the other hand, the antenna 13 and the communication circuit 12
Is also written in the memories A and 4. Further, the images of the user and the other user written in the memories A and 4 are displayed on the liquid crystal monitor 5. The user himself and the other user can use the microphone 9 while checking the display on the liquid crystal monitor 5,
Can be used as a video phone. It is used as a videophone as described above.

[0016]

As described above, in the digital electronic camera having the functions of the cellular phone and the PHS, the digital electronic camera automatically functions according to the direction in which the photographing camera section whose direction is variable is currently directed. A user-friendly digital electronic camera that recognizes modes and does not require the operating user to select a function mode is realized.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external view of a digital electronic camera according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a digital electronic camera according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 lens 2 CCD 3 signal processing circuit 4 memory A 5 liquid crystal monitor 6 memory B 7 microcomputer 8 operation switch 9 microphone 10 hinge 11 direction sensor 12 communication circuit 13 antenna 21 photographing camera section 22 camera body section

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An image pickup means for converting a subject image into an electric signal by a solid-state image pickup device, a storage means for processing the electric signal and storing it as image information in a storage medium; a communication circuit for performing data communication; In a digital electronic camera having a display circuit for displaying a direction, a photographing camera unit variably provided with a photographing direction with respect to the camera body unit, and a direction sensor for detecting a direction of the photographing camera unit, the output of the direction sensor A digital electronic camera, wherein at least one of the plurality of digital electronic camera function modes is selected, and the digital electronic camera operates in the selected function mode.