JPH10304297A - Digital still camera - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To facilitate function revision and image management in a digital still camera that is configured to record image data on a memory card fitted attachably and detachably. SOLUTION: An exclusive card on which the software for sepia photographing and template data or the like are stored in advance is prepared as a memory card to record image data. In the case that the memory card loaded at application of power is the exclusive card (S1, S2), the software and the data for function revision are loaded from the exclusive card (S3). Then an image signal obtained by the revised function is stored on the exclusive card.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a digital still camera, and more particularly, to a digital still camera using a memory card detachably mounted on a camera body as a recording medium.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, an optical image of a subject has been captured by an imaging lens,
An image is formed on a solid-state imaging device such as a CCD through an optical imaging system such as an aperture, an electric image signal photoelectrically converted and output by the imaging device is converted into digital data, and the digital image data is converted into a camera body. 2. Description of the Related Art Digital still cameras configured to record data in a semiconductor memory (for example, a flash EEPROM) built in a memory card that is removably mounted on a digital camera have been put to practical use.

[0003]

By the way, in a conventional digital still camera, photographed image data is recorded on the memory card, and the recorded image data is edited and processed by a personal computer or the like (for example, sepia color). (For example, color correction or adding an arbitrary background or character), but if the processing corresponding to such editing and processing operations can be performed by a digital still camera, usability will be improved.

However, in order to reduce the cost and size of the camera, it is not preferable to provide the camera with functions (control specifications and related data) that are rarely used, since the number of memories and the like increase. However, it has not been possible to easily realize functions that meet the needs of individual users. In addition, when images obtained by using various functions are mixedly recorded in the same memory card, there is a problem that image management becomes complicated.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned conventional circumstances, and makes it possible to easily change and expand the functions of a camera by utilizing a memory card which has conventionally only functioned as a recording medium for image data. And to facilitate the management of images.

[0006]

According to the present invention, a memory card having a built-in memory is removably attached to a camera body, and converts an optical image of a subject into an electric signal to the memory. In a digital still camera configured to record, information related to the function of the digital still camera is stored in the memory of the memory card in advance, and the function information is loaded from a memory card mounted on the camera body and used. The image signal obtained by the camera body using the function is recorded in the memory.

According to such a configuration, information (software and / or data) relating to the functions of the camera is stored in the memory card in advance, and the memory card storing the necessary function information is selected. , The function information is loaded on the main body side, and the function is changed or expanded in accordance with the loaded information. Then, an image signal obtained by a function based on the loaded information is recorded on a memory card storing the function information.

[0008] In the invention according to claim 2, the information relating to the function of the digital still camera is configured as software for changing the control specification of the digital still camera. According to such a configuration, for example, in the case where the control specification originally performs full-color imaging, when changing to the specification in which sepia-color imaging is performed, software for causing the control specification to be changed is loaded from a memory card. Then, the image signal that has been subjected to the sepia color image processing is recorded on the memory card in which the change information for the sepia color photographing is stored.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, information relating to the function of the digital still camera is configured as template data. According to such a configuration, by loading the template data from the memory card,
A processing function using the template data will be added. Here, it is assumed that the template data includes background image data, image data of title characters, and the like, and a signal of a captured image synthesized with these template data is recorded on the memory card in which the template data was stored. Is done.

[0010] According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a configuration including a selection means for selecting execution of loading of information related to the function of the digital still camera. With this configuration, for example, even when a memory card or the like for changing to the sepia color specification is installed, whether or not to actually change to the sepia color shooting is selected by the selection unit. In the selection operation, change the function by the installed memory card,
A display asking whether or not to perform the extension may be made by using a liquid crystal display device or the like of the camera body, and any one may be selected by a switch operation.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, information relating to the function of the digital still camera is automatically loaded when power is turned on to the camera body and / or when the memory card is inserted. According to this configuration, if information related to the function of the camera is stored in advance in the memory card inserted when the power is turned on, the information is automatically loaded, and the change and extension of the camera function are automatically performed. Done in Therefore, when the function is changed or expanded, the memory card is mounted before turning on the power.

[0012] Further, a configuration may be employed in which the memory card is automatically loaded when a memory card is inserted after the power is turned on.
Furthermore, if the camera is mounted before the power is turned on, automatic loading is performed.If the camera is mounted after the power is turned on, the configuration is such that only the normal captured image data is stored without performing the loading. May be selected depending on the timing of mounting the memory card.

[0013]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the information on the functions stored in the memory card is loaded, and the functions of the camera are changed and expanded, so that the memory of the camera body is reduced while enhancing the functions. Also, by storing image signals obtained based on the function information stored in the memory card in the same memory card, image signals based on the same function can be stored in one memory card collectively. This has the effect of facilitating image management.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, a change in control specifications, such as a change from full-color shooting to sepia-color shooting, can be made easily and as needed by installing a memory card. By storing the image signals obtained in the specifications in the same memory card, there is an effect that image management can be easily performed. According to the third aspect of the present invention, it is possible to load necessary template data by installing a memory card, arbitrarily execute synthesis of a photographed image and a template, and execute the same image using the same template data. There is an effect that image management can be easily performed by storing the data in the memory card.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, execution of loading from a memory card can be arbitrarily selected, so that it is possible to prevent an unnecessary change or extension of a function due to loading of unnecessary information. is there. According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, by appropriately selecting and mounting a memory card, the loading from the memory card is automatically performed, and the function can be easily changed and expanded. .

[0016]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below. FIG. 1 shows a system configuration of a digital still camera according to the embodiment. In the figure, a light image of a subject obtained through an optical system composed of a focus lens 101, an aperture 102 and the like is formed on a light receiving surface of an image sensor such as a CCD 103. At this time, focus lens 101, aperture
102 is a focus drive circuit 104 and an aperture drive circuit, respectively.
Driven by 105.

Here, the CCD 103 constituting the image pickup device
Converts an optical image formed on the light receiving surface into a charge amount and outputs an analog image signal. The analog image signal output from the CCD 103 is subjected to noise reduction processing, gain adjustment, and the like in a pre-processing circuit 106. Then, after being converted into a digital image signal by the A / D converter 107, the digital image signal is input to the signal processing circuit 108, subjected to luminance processing, color processing, compression processing, etc., and then to the memory card 110 via the card controller 109. Be recorded.

The memory controller 111 temporarily records the digital image signal before processing in the frame memory 112, stores the processed digital image signal in the image storage memory 113, and stores the processed digital image signal in the image storage memory 113. The image signal is recorded on the memory card 110 by the card controller 109. The main microcomputer 114 controls operations of the focus drive circuit 104, the aperture drive circuit 105, the pre-process circuit 106, the signal processing circuit 108, and the like.

The sub microcomputer 115 controls the liquid crystal panel 117 and the like. The photographed image signal can be output as an NTSC video signal via a video amplifier 119. Further, an image signal can be transmitted to a personal computer or the like via an external serial port via a serial driver 118 controlled by the main microcomputer 114.

The memory card 110 has a built-in flash memory (flash type EEPROM) and is detachably mounted on the camera body. Also,
As the memory card 110, in addition to a normal card for only storing image data, information (software and / or data) for storing image data and for changing and expanding the functions of the camera is stored in advance. A special card is prepared.

As the dedicated card, a mode card in which software for changing the control specifications of the camera is stored, and a template card in which template data such as a background and title characters are stored are prepared. The mode card is used, for example, to change the control specifications so that a digital still camera that originally records images in full color performs image recording in sepia color. However, the change of the control specification is not limited to the sepia color recording.

In the template card, for example, a background image set in advance is superimposed (superimposed) on a photographed image.
This stores template data such as a background image used when a camera performs such processing as
It may store software for performing a process of combining the template image and the captured image together with the template data.

Incidentally, the above-mentioned various dedicated cards have an area for storing information for changing and expanding the functions of the camera,
It is configured to include an area for storing data of a captured image. Here, the function information (software and / or related data) stored in the dedicated card in advance is loaded into the camera body as follows.

The flowchart of FIG. 2 is executed when the main switch provided in the camera body is turned on and the camera body is turned on. First, in S1, a memory card is inserted. It is determined whether or not there is. If a memory card is inserted, it is further determined in S2 whether the card is one of the dedicated cards or a normal memory card that only performs image recording.

If it is determined that the card is a dedicated card, the flow advances to S3 to load function information (software for changing functions, data, etc.) stored in the dedicated card in advance, and in S4, the loading is performed. The fact that the operation has been performed is displayed on the liquid crystal panel 117 to inform the user. As described above, when the function information (software for changing functions, data, and the like) stored in the dedicated card is loaded, in the case of the mode card, for example, the change from full-color shooting to sepia-color shooting is performed. In the template card, the photographed image and the template image are combined.

When the mode is changed from full-color shooting to sepia-color shooting by installing a mode card, a memory card (dedicated to exclusive use) for storing software, data, and the like for changing the function to the sepia-color shooting is stored. The card 110 stores an image signal photographed in sepia color. Similarly, when a template card is inserted, an image signal synthesized with the template image is stored in the template card.

Therefore, by mounting the memory card 110, which is generally used as a recording medium for image data, it is possible to easily change functions, etc., and to reduce the memory of the camera body and to perform various functions. It can be realized. Further, by storing the image signal obtained according to the function after the change in the memory card inserted for the function change, the image signal for each function can be stored collectively in one memory card. And image management can be easily performed.

On the other hand, if the memory card 110 inserted when the power is turned on is not a dedicated card but a card that only records normal image data, the above-described function change or the like is not performed. The normal shooting based on the software provided in the camera body is performed. Also, when the memory card 110 is inserted after the power is turned on, it is treated as a normal memory card 110. Even if it is a dedicated card and information for changing functions is stored, it is not loaded, and Is taken.

Here, it is preferable to prepare a flag for determining whether the card is a normal memory card or a dedicated card. Then, in the case shown in the flowchart of FIG. 2, when a function change or the like is desired to be performed, a dedicated card is mounted with the camera power OFF and the power is turned on. At this time, the camera first activates simple software from the ROM to determine the flag, and when a dedicated card for changing functions is installed, the software stored in the dedicated card is used. It is developed in the RAM of the CPU, and the software is restarted from the RAM.

Even if the function is changed by loading the function information from the special card, once the power is turned off, the normal photographing state is restored. If the special card is not installed when the power is turned on again, The normal photographing is performed as it is. Information such as function change software and data in the dedicated card may be recorded in a file format that can be handled in the same manner as image data.
Further, in order to avoid erroneous erasure, the data may be recorded in an area which cannot be read similarly to the image data.

The flowchart of FIG. 3 shows another example of the load timing, which is executed when a memory card is inserted while the power of the camera is turned on. First, in S11, it is determined whether the inserted memory card is the dedicated card or a normal card. If the memory card is a dedicated card, the process proceeds to S12.

In step S12, a display prompting the user to select whether or not to load is displayed on the liquid crystal panel 117 together with the type of the special card. In step S13, it is determined whether or not loading is selected. The load execution can be selected by using a mode switch or the like provided in the camera body (selection means). When it is determined in S13 that the load execution has been selected, the process proceeds to S14, in which the function information (software for changing functions, data, etc.) stored in the attached dedicated card in advance is loaded.

Here, when the special card is removed,
By returning to the normal shooting state, the function state by the dedicated card and the normal shooting state can be switched by removing and inserting the memory card while the power is on. Note that, as shown in FIG. 2, when loading a dedicated card that is mounted when the power is turned on, it may be possible to select whether or not to load, as shown in FIG. Further, the configuration may be such that the software or the like is loaded from the dedicated card both when the power is turned on and when the memory card (dedicated card) is mounted after the power is turned on. In addition, when installing the special card after turning on the power,
The configuration may be such that the load is automatically performed without selecting the load execution.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a system configuration of a still video camera according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing software loading from a dedicated card in the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing another example of loading software from a dedicated card in the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 101 Focus lens 102 Aperture 103 CCD 106 Pre-processing circuit 107 A / D converter 108 Signal processing circuit 109 Card controller 110 Memory card 111 Memory controller 114 Main microcomputer

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A digital still camera in which a memory card having a built-in memory is detachably mounted to a camera body, and wherein an optical image of a subject is converted into an electric signal and recorded in the memory. Information related to the function of the digital still camera is stored in the memory of the card in advance, and the function information is loaded from a memory card mounted on the camera body and used, and obtained by the camera body using the function. A digital still camera, wherein an image signal is recorded in the memory. 2. The digital still camera according to claim 1, wherein the information on the function of the digital still camera is software for changing a control specification of the digital still camera. 3. The digital still camera according to claim 1, wherein the information relating to the function of the digital still camera is template data. 4. The digital still camera according to claim 1, further comprising a selection unit that selects execution of loading of information relating to the function of the digital still camera. 5. The digital still camera according to claim 1, wherein information relating to the function of the digital still camera is automatically loaded when power is turned on to the camera body and / or when the memory card is inserted. The digital still camera described in any one of the above.