JP3404121B2 - Image recording device - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image recording apparatus,
In particular, the present invention relates to an image recording apparatus that issues a voice notification of a recordable remaining capacity. 2. Description of the Related Art As an image recording apparatus for recording image information as image data on a recording medium, an apparatus having a configuration for recording audio data corresponding to image information has been put to practical use. FIG. 13 shows a configuration example of a conventional image recording apparatus of this type. This example is a configuration example of a still image camera such as a so-called electronic still camera. In FIG.
A subject image is captured by a lens system 1 as a CCD as an imaging device.
2 and converted into an electric image signal. This image signal is subjected to a predetermined imaging process in the imaging process unit 3, and A
After being converted into digital image data by the / D converter 4, the digital image data is recorded in the frame memory 5. The image data from the A / D converter 4 is converted into an analog signal by a D / A converter 14 and supplied to a video output terminal 16, and an EVF (electronic view finder) 15.
And is displayed on the monitor. The frame memory 5 is controlled by a memory controller 6 for writing / reading. The image data read from the frame memory 5 is subjected to compression processing by a companding circuit 7 and is recorded on a recording medium 10 via an interface unit 9. The system controller 8 receives operation (operation instruction) information of the operation switches 13A to 13J via the switch circuit 12, controls the entire apparatus, and displays an operation state at that time on the LCD 11. At the time of reproducing an image, the image is reproduced through a reverse process. That is, the image data read from the recording medium 10 is supplied to the companding circuit 7 via the interface unit 9, subjected to an expanding process, and recorded in the frame memory 5. The image data read from the frame memory 5 is
The signal is converted into an analog signal by the D / A converter 14,
It is reproduced on the monitor via F15 or video output terminal 16. On the other hand, when recording an audio signal, the microphone 21
Alternatively, the audio signal from the external line input terminal 22 is subjected to predetermined preprocessing in the audio preprocessing unit 20, converted into digital audio data by the A / D converter 19, and then recorded in the audio memory 18. The audio data is encoded by the audio encoding / decoding circuit unit 17 and recorded on the recording medium 10 via the interface unit 9. At the time of audio reproduction, the audio data read out from the recording medium 10 via the interface unit 9 is decoded by the audio encoding / decoding circuit unit 17 and then decoded by the D / A
The signal is converted into an analog signal by the converter 23, and further subjected to predetermined audio processing by the audio post-processing unit 24, and then supplied to the audio output terminal 25 and the speaker 26. The switch group for instructing the camera operation connected to the switch circuit 12 is a well-known switch group, and includes a trigger 1 switch 13A, a trigger 2 switch 13B, a-switch 13C, a + switch 13D, a recording / reproducing (REC / REC).
PLAY) switch 13E, image / audio (PICT / S)
OUND) switch 13F, reproduction mode switch 13
G, a normal mode switch 13H, a high-speed continuous shooting switch 13I, and a low-speed continuous shooting switch 13J. In such a configuration, conventionally, a dedicated operation switch is provided to record audio information corresponding to image information, and recording and reproduction of the audio information are performed by operating this switch. Further, the remaining recordable capacity of the recording medium is displayed on the display unit by using a separately provided dedicated switch. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION As described above, the conventional
The image recording device must be installed separately for recording and playback of audio information.
Was by the operation of a dedicated switch. Therefore, the operation
Not only the operation becomes complicated, but also the device configuration becomes complicated
There was a problem. Also, the user uses this type of device
Make sure that the remaining recordable capacity of the applied recording medium is
It is particularly desirable to be able to recognize Therefore, the present invention solves the above problems,
Improves operability and usability, and also enables recording on recording media
Provide an image recording device that can reliably notify the remaining capacity.
To provide. [0011] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, an image recording apparatus according to the present invention stores an image data and an audio data in its own data section and an additional information section related to the data, respectively. 1. An image recording apparatus capable of recording as data in a file format, comprising: an imaging unit that photoelectrically converts a subject image into an electric signal; and an A / D that converts the electric signal output by the imaging unit into a digital signal. A file name of the audio data, which can be recorded on the recording medium by associating the audio data with the image data outputted by the A / D conversion means, and which is associated with the image information accompanying information section at the time of the recording. Or a recording method for recording the file name of the image data associated with itself in the additional information section of the audio data. And stage, the recordable time of recordable images <br/> single number and voice in response to a predetermined operation by the operator to be displayed on the monitor
And a recordable remaining amount display means. According to the present invention, when audio data is associated with image data and recorded on a recording medium, the file name of the audio data associated with the image data is recorded in the supplementary information section of the image data, by such recording a file name of image data associated with the self in the supplementary information section of the data, handling and operability of the image data and audio data is improved, in addition, the recordable image sheet number and sound
It is excellent in convenience such as the recordable time of a voice is displayed on a monitor. Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a configuration block diagram showing an embodiment of an image recording apparatus according to the present invention. In FIG.
Components denoted by the same reference numerals as those in FIG. 13 indicate components having the same functions. An audio file information management unit 27 that manages and controls audio file information to be recorded based on a program switch 13K for instructing a program operation during recording and reproduction and switch information received via the switch circuit 12.
Is provided. The audio file information management unit 27 may be provided separately as in this example, or may be stored in the ROM of the system controller 8. FIG. 2 shows an example of data arrangement on a recording medium in a state where image information, audio information, control information, and the like are stored in the recording medium. As shown in FIG. 2, the areas in the recording medium include a system management area, a control file area,
It is composed of an image 1, an image 2, an image 3, a sound 1, and a sky area. The image area consists of an image file header and image data,
The audio area includes an audio file header and audio data. During image reproduction, when the + key 13D is kept pressed, the rotation of the reproduced image displayed on the monitor continues as shown in FIG.
When no image data exists, a mute screen is reproduced, and the display on the LCD 11 at this time is shown in FIG. The recording operation will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 5. Audio file management data such as audio recording time length and date is recorded in the audio file header for the mute image shown in FIG. In this case, the recording of the audio file is started when the trigger 1 switch 13A is pressed, and the recording ends when the trigger 1 switch 13A is pressed again (record 1).
FIG. 7B shows a state in which the image 1 is being reproduced.
In addition to (A), the file name of image 1 is recorded as the corresponding image in the audio file header, or the file name of audio 1 is recorded as the corresponding audio in the image 1 file header (recording 2). Also, in FIG.
When the trigger 1 switch 13A is pressed, recording of the audio file is started, and when the trigger 1 switch 13A is pressed again, the recording ends. By repeatedly depressing the trigger 1 switch 13A, audio files corresponding to each of the selectively reproduced images 1, 2 and 3 are recorded (record 3). Image selection is performed by operating the-switch 13C and the + switch 13D. When the program switch 13K is pressed, the end of the recording sequence at this time is performed by operating the trigger 2 switch 13B. These data are recorded in the control file as one program. An example of a control file is shown. These actions are:
The sound file information management unit 27 executes the processing. When the switch 13E indicates reproduction (PLAY) and the switch 13F indicates audio (SOUND), the system controller 8 reads the corresponding image file name in the audio file header, and the system controller 8 reads the name shown in FIG. Thus, the audio file 1 corresponding to the image 1 is reproduced (the recording of FIG. 5B is reproduced). When the switch 13E is instructed to reproduce the program by the switch 13K, it is reproduced according to the program in the control file as shown in FIG.
(C)) is reproduced). At this time, if there is no corresponding image file name in the audio file header, only the audio file is reproduced (recording in FIG. 5A is reproduced). As described above, in the program recording mode, the trigger 1 switch 13
A corresponds to the beginning and end of each audio file, and the trigger 2 switch 13B corresponds to the end of the sequence. According to the above example, a mode for simultaneously and continuously reproducing the audio file and the video file can be realized by a simple operation. If the playback order is one file (replay
(Raw order file) , so that later reorganization can be easily realized. Further, since another command can be generated by the same operation unit, the configuration is simplified. Moreover, since the sequence for repeating the association recording of the image and the sound and the operation for exiting from this sequence are not complicated, the operability is good and the risk of erroneous operation is extremely reduced. In this embodiment, the remaining amount display switch 1
3L is provided, and when this switch 13L is operated,
By searching the recording medium, the recordable remaining amount of the recording medium, such as the number of recordable images and the recordable time, is displayed on the LCD 11 or the EVF 15.
And the like, and the operation of the system controller 8 outputs the remaining amount information from the speaker 26 by voice. Further, a warning can be issued when the remaining amount is insufficient. The display on the monitor can be performed by fade-out or numerical display. That is, for an image, L
The remaining number of recordable images is displayed on a CD, and for audio, the system controller 8 (or the audio file information management unit 27) calculates the remaining time from the amount of free space in the recording medium, and uses the calculated remaining time as an interface. The audio data is sent to the audio encoding / decoding circuit unit 17 via the unit 9 and the decoded audio data is sent to the D / A converter 23 and the audio post-processing unit 24.
Is output to the speaker 26 via the. Next, an example in which the hardware configuration of the conventional image recording apparatus shown in FIG. 13 is simplified will be described. The conventional image recording apparatus shown in FIG. 13 requires A / D converters 4 and 19 and D / A converters 14 and 23 for the image processing system and the audio processing system, respectively. And other problems. In the present embodiment, the configuration is simplified by using one A / D converter and one D / A converter for the image processing system and the audio processing system. FIG. 7 is a configuration block diagram of the image recording apparatus according to the present embodiment. In the figure, components denoted by the same reference numerals as those in FIG. 1 indicate components having similar functions. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG.
1, 32, 36, and 38; a buffer memory 35; The changeover switch 32 switches and outputs the input to the A / D converter 34, and the changeover switch 3
1 switches and outputs the output from the D / A converter 33; a switch 36 switches the connection between the buffer memory 35 and the image companding circuit 7 or the audio companding circuit 37; The connection between the expansion circuit unit 7 or the audio compression / expansion circuit unit 37 and the interface unit 9 is switched. The switching operation of these changeover switches is controlled by a sound mode / image mode selection mode signal (sound / image switching signal) received via the switch circuit section 12. That is, in the audio mode, each switch selects the audio processing system (S terminal in the figure), and in the image mode, each switch selects the image processing system (I terminal in the figure). FIG. 8 shows an improved configuration of the example shown in FIG. 7, in which an image and a sound can be reproduced simultaneously. In this example, an image memory 44 and an audio memory 45 are separately provided, and image data and audio data transmitted through the changeover switch 32 and the A / D converter 34 are recorded in each corresponding memory through the changeover switch 43. Also, D / A converters 41 and 42 are installed in the audio reproduction system and the image reproduction system, respectively, and the data read from the audio memory 45 and the image memory 44 are converted into analog signals and output. For example, the image data read from the recording medium 10 is first supplied to the image companding circuit section 7 via the changeover switch 38, where it is decompressed and recorded in the image memory 44. Next, the audio data similarly read from the recording medium 10 is expanded by the audio companding circuit 37 and recorded in the audio memory 45. The image data and the audio data read from the image memory 44 and the audio memory 45 are converted into analog signals by D / A converters 42 and 41, respectively, to obtain a simultaneous reproduction output. Next, a description will be given of an example in which the image-only recording / reproducing apparatus is adapted to record and reproduce sound with a simple configuration. Conventionally, there is no means to make an existing image-only recording / reproducing device compatible with audio recording / reproducing. Manufacturers have to redesign and re-create one with an audio processing circuit, and users must purchase this audio-compatible device. This has led to increased costs. This embodiment solves this problem, and uses a general-purpose RS23 so that it can be controlled by a personal computer or the like.
Communication control means such as 2C (ROM storage software)
Is used. FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the present embodiment. The communication control unit 120 and the communication interface (I / F) unit 11
Recording / reproducing apparatus 100 incorporating a communication control unit 2
02 and an audio recording / reproducing device 200 having a built-in communication interface unit 201 are connected by a wired or wireless line. In the audio recording / reproducing device 200, the switch circuit 2
The system controller 203 performs overall control in accordance with the operation instruction signal received via the
It is displayed on the display unit 205 such as a CD. Line input terminal 2
07 or the audio data from the microphone 208 is subjected to predetermined pre-processing by a pre-processing unit 209, converted into digital data by an A / D converter 210, and further encoded by an audio encoding / decoding circuit unit 211. Be transformed into The encoded audio data is stored in the data buffer 206. The signal is supplied to the speaker 215 and the line output terminal 214 via the D / A converter 212 and the post-processing unit 213. At the time of reproduction, a signal read from the data buffer 206 and decoded by the audio coding / decoding circuit 211 and converted into an analog signal by the D / A converter 212 is converted into a predetermined signal by the post-processing unit 213. After the post-processing, it is output to the line output terminal 214 or the speaker 215. FIG. 10 shows a specific configuration diagram of this example. Image recording / reproducing device 100 and audio recording / reproducing device 20
0 are connected by a communication cable 300 via the respective communication interface units.
The image signal from 0 and the audio signal from the audio recording / reproducing device 200 are supplied to the monitor 400 to display an image and output audio. In this example, the image recording / reproducing apparatus 100 is a camera, and the recording medium 1 such as a memory card is used.
01, a finder 102, an LCD display unit 103, a zoom switch 104, a trigger switch 105, and the like.
05, a microphone 208, a speaker 215, a trigger switch 216, and the like. The operation of the audio recording / reproducing apparatus 200 in this embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. First, the communication cable 300 is connected, and it waits until the connection of the communication partner (image recording / reproducing apparatus 100) is detected (step S1), and it is determined whether a recording mode command is received (step S2). If the command has not been received, it is determined whether or not the reproduction mode command has been received (step S3). If not, the process returns to step S2, and if the command has been received, the mode shifts to the reproduction mode (step S3).
4). Subsequently, it is determined whether a reproduction start command has been received (step S5). If so, the encoded data is received, decompressed and decoded to reproduce the audio data (step S6), and the reception of the reproduction end command is determined. (Step S7). Step S
In step 7, if the reproduction end command has not been received, the process returns to step S6. If the command has been received, disconnection of the communication partner (disconnection of the communication cable) is determined (step S8). Return to processing. In step S5, even when the reproduction start command has not been received, the process proceeds to step S8. If the communication partner is disconnected in step S8, the process ends. On the other hand, if the recording mode command has been received in step S2, the mode shifts to the recording mode (step S9), and the reception of the recording start command is determined (step S1).
0). If the recording start command has not been received, the process proceeds to step S13. If the command has been received, the audio data is compression-encoded and the encoded data is transmitted (step S11). Next, it is determined whether a recording end command has been received (step S12). If it has not been received, the process returns to step S11. If it has been received, it is determined that the communication partner has been disconnected (step S13). Here, if the communication partner has not been disconnected, the process returns to step S10, and if disconnected, the process ends. Next, the operation of the image reproducing / recording apparatus 100 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. First, after waiting for the detection of the communication partner connection (step S21), the mode is shifted to the voice mode (step S22), and it is determined whether or not the recording mode is set (step S23). Here, in the case of the recording mode, a recording mode command is transmitted (step S24),
It is determined whether the trigger switch has been operated (step S2).
5) If the trigger switch has been operated, a recording start command is transmitted (step S26). Thereafter, the data is received, and the data is written to the recording medium (step S27),
It is determined whether the trigger switch has been re-operated (re-pressed) (step S28). If the trigger switch has not been operated, the process returns to step S27. Judgment (Step S
30). If the communication partner is not disconnected, the process returns to step S25, and if disconnected, the process ends. In step S23, recording (REC)
If the mode is not the mode, a reproduction mode command is transmitted (step S31), and a reproduction file is selected (step S32).
Determine operation (press) of the trigger switch (step S
33). If the trigger switch has been operated, a reproduction start command is sent (step S34), data is read from the recording medium, data is transmitted (step S35), and it is determined whether or not all data has been read (step S35). S3
6). If all data has not been read, step S3
Returning to the process of step 5, if it has been read out, a reproduction end command is sent (step S37), and disconnection of the communication partner is determined (step S38). If not, step S3
Returning to the processing of step 2, the processing is terminated if disconnected. still,
In step S33, even when the trigger switch has not been operated, the process proceeds to step S38. According to this embodiment, the image / audio recording / reproducing apparatus can be constituted only by the ROM change request of the image-specific recording / reproducing apparatus in hand and the purchase of the audio recording / reproducing apparatus. As described above, the image recording apparatus according to the present invention records the file name of the other related data in the additional information section of the associated image data or audio data. Therefore, by reproducing one of the image data and the audio data, the two can be reproduced simultaneously. Even when the reproduction is not performed, the two can be transferred in association with each other. The handling and operability of are improved. In addition, like the recordable time of recordable images sheet number and the voice is displayed on the monitor, excellent convenience.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a configuration block diagram showing an embodiment of an image recording apparatus according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of data arrangement on a recording medium in a state where image information, audio information, control information, and the like are stored in the recording medium. FIG. 3 shows a state in which the + key 13D is kept pressed during image reproduction.
FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating rotation of a reproduced image displayed on a monitor. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a display screen in a state where a mute screen is being reproduced when no image data exists. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a recording operation in the present embodiment. FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the system controller 8 in the embodiment. FIG. 7 is a configuration block diagram of an image recording apparatus related to the present invention. FIG. 8 is a configuration block diagram of another image recording apparatus related to the present invention. FIG. 9 is a configuration block diagram of still another image recording apparatus related to the present invention. FIG. 10 is a specific connection configuration diagram of the example shown in FIG. 9; FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing an operation of the audio recording / reproducing device 200 in the present example. FIG. 12 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of the image reproduction / recording apparatus 100 in the present example. FIG. 13 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of a conventional image recording apparatus of this type. [Description of Signs] 1 lens 2 CCD 3 imaging process unit 4, 19, 34 A / D converter 5 frame memory 6 memory controller 7 companding circuit 8 system controller 9 interface unit 10 recording medium 11 LCD 12 switch circuit 13A to 13K operation Switches 14, 23, 33, 41, 42 D / A converter 15 EVF 16 Video output terminal 17 Audio encoding / decoding circuit unit 18 Audio memory 20 Audio preprocessing unit 21, 208 Microphone 22 Audio line input terminal 24 Audio post-processing Unit 25 audio line output terminal 26 speaker 27 audio file information management unit 31, 32, 36, 38, 43 selector switch 35 buffer memory 37 audio companding circuit 44 image memory 45 audio memory

Continuation of front page (56) References Patent No. 3273078 (JP, B2) JP-A-3-65887 (JP, A) JP-A-4-207488 (JP, A) JP-A-60-69976 (JP, A) JP-A-3-76389 (JP, A) JP-A-3-213068 (JP, A) JP-A-1-175379 (JP, A) JP-A-3-235260 (JP, A) JP-A-2-100579 (JP JP, A) JP-A-4-137868 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) H04N 5/76-5/956

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims 1] An image recording capable of recording image data and audio data as data in a file format including its own data part and an additional information part related to the data. An imaging unit for photoelectrically converting a subject image into an electric signal; an A / D conversion unit for converting an electric signal output by the imaging unit into a digital signal; and an output unit output by the A / D conversion unit. Whether the audio data is associated with the image data and can be recorded on the recording medium, and at the time of the recording, the file name of the audio data associated with the image data is recorded in the additional information section of the image data,
Or a made recording means to record the file name of the image data associated with the self in the supplementary information section of the audio data recordable images single number and voice in response to a predetermined operation of the operator
Recording that displays the recordable time of the
Image recording, comprising a possible remaining amount display means.
Recording device.