JP4234662B2 - Electronic device and data recording method thereof - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an electronic apparatus having a function of recording data such as an electronic camera device on a recording medium, and in particular, data such as image data and audio data recorded on a recording medium is stored in a memory card such as a flash memory and a magnetic hard disk. The present invention relates to an electronic device that records data on an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) device using the.

  An electronic camera device that uses a solid-state image sensor such as a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) as an image sensor and records captured image data or audio data as a recording medium using a nonvolatile memory card such as a flash memory has appeared on the market. It has been a long time since the resolution of imaging elements has increased and the capacity of recording media has increased. Recently, products with the function of recording not only still image data but also moving image data and audio data on recording media have been marketed. Is being offered to.

  Therefore, not only a memory card but also an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) device using a magnetic hard disk as a recording medium is provided.

  Patent Document 1 relates to a video recording apparatus such as a video camera or a still camera, or a video recording apparatus to which a playback function is added, and particularly to a signal recording apparatus using a personal computer memory (PC) card type recording medium. An invention relating to improvement in reliability, reduction in power consumption and miniaturization of a video recording apparatus for recording or reproducing a signal is described.

Specifically, when a PC card type magnetic hard disk drive (HDD = Hard Disk Drive) is used, the HDD is in a recording operation state throughout the shooting period, so that power consumption increases and a large-capacity power source ( Battery), and because of the high power consumption, the amount of heat generation increases and the temperature rises, which complicates temperature countermeasures, which also hinders the downsizing and weight reduction of video recording and playback devices. As a method for solving this problem, a 4M-bit buffer memory is used, and data is written to the HDD every 4M bits (2.33 second period), so that the write period (2.33) is obtained. Second) minus the actual write time (0.72 seconds), the HDD can be paused, which can save power and improve the reliability of impact. It is shown.
JP-A-9-270985

  However, in the apparatus described in Patent Document 1, when a memory card is inserted instead of the PC card type HDD, control is performed in the same manner as recording to the HDD. According to this method, for example, in order to obtain a more power saving effect, if the write cycle to the recording medium is lengthened, that is, the amount of data to be written at one time is increased, power saving can be further achieved when recording to the HDD. When a card is inserted, it takes a long time to record data due to the relationship with the recording speed, which eventually results in an unusable device.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an electronic apparatus that efficiently records data such as image data and audio data on a hard disk drive (HDD) device using a memory card such as a flash memory and a magnetic hard disk. It is in.

The electronic apparatus of the present invention includes means for forming an imaging target as an optical image, means for converting the imaged optical image into an electrical signal, and means for converting the electrical signal into digitized image data. comprises a magnetic hard disk apparatus and notes Rica over de the image data is recorded, a first area with a storage capacity of a first amount, the storage capacity of the second amount greater than the first amount a second region, a buffer memory and a third region with the same storage capacity and the second region, the information indicating either of whether to record the image data of the magnetic hard disk device or memo Rica over de A means for inputting, a means for holding the image data in the first area, and an image held in the first area when the inputted information indicates recording on the memory card. Day Means for recording in the memory card, the information the input, when it was intended to show the recording to the magnetic hard disc apparatus, the second one of the areas of said second and third regions accumulated before Symbol image data until the amount, and the image data to the storage amount of the at one region reaches the second amount to the other area in response to reaching the second amount means you accumulate, the second and the second amount of image which the accumulated amount of one region of the third region is the storage in response to reaching the second amount Means for recording data on the magnetic hard disk drive, and recording of the second amount of image data held in one of the second or third area to the magnetic hard disk drive is completed, and to the other area. Of the second amount of image data is completed. In If not, characterized in that it comprises means for the magnetic hard disk device to sleep.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the electronic device which recorded data, such as image data and audio | voice data efficiently, on HDD (Hard Disk Drive) apparatus using memory cards, such as flash memory, and a magnetic hard disk can be provided. .

  Hereinafter, an electronic camera device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an external appearance of the electronic camera device 100. A lens 202 constituting a part of the optical system 101 and an optical viewfinder 203 are provided on the front surface of the housing 201, and the top surface of the housing 201 is provided. A shutter button 204 is provided, and a lid member 205 that covers a housing portion that houses the connector 117 is slidable in the longitudinal direction of the top surface.

FIG. 2 is a circuit block diagram showing the configuration of the electronic camera device 100.
In FIG. 2, reference numeral 101 denotes an optical system having a lens, which forms an optical image on a photoelectric conversion surface of a CCD image pickup unit 102 having a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) as an image pickup element. The CCD imaging unit 102 converts an optical image formed on the photoelectric conversion surface into an electrical signal and outputs it as an imaging signal. An A / D (Analog Digital) conversion unit 103 converts an image pickup signal output from the CCD image pickup unit 102 into a digital signal and outputs the digital signal to the CCD signal processing unit 104. The CCD signal processing unit 104 performs processing such as white balance adjustment processing, gamma correction processing, interpolation processing, and color conversion processing on the imaging signal from the A / D conversion unit 103, and outputs the result as an image signal.

  The image signal output from the CCD signal processing unit 104 is supplied to the memory controller 105 and temporarily stored in the work memory 106 connected to the memory controller 105. The image signal stored in the work memory 106 is supplied to the image display processing unit 107 via the memory controller 105, where it is converted into a video signal such as a standard television signal and displayed on the display unit 108. .

  The display unit 108 is, for example, an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) having a size of several inches, and can monitor an image captured by the CCD imaging unit 102 by the processing described above.

  Furthermore, an image compression / decompression processing unit 109 is connected to the memory controller 105. The image compression / decompression processing unit 109 converts the image signal from the CCD signal processing unit 104 stored in the work memory 106 into, for example, JPEG. Compression (encoding) processing is performed based on (Joint Photographic Experts Group) or MPEG (Moving Picture Experts Group) standards. Alternatively, a process of decompressing (decoding) compressed data reproduced from a memory card, which will be described later, is performed.

  The image compression / decompression processing unit 109 uses the memory controller 105 when executing the processing. In this case, the memory controller 105 functions as a DSP (Digital Signal Processor). In order to execute the compression / decompression processing of the image signal, the image compression / decompression processing unit 109 and the memory controller 105 are controlled by a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 110.

  The CPU 110 manages the operation and functions of the entire electronic camera device 100. The CPU 110 controls image signal processing including image capturing and image compression / decompression described above, and records data in a memory card to be described later. It controls playback processing, controls audio signal processing, and controls processing based on user operations.

  Therefore, the CPU 110 is connected to the optical system 101, the CCD imaging unit 102, and the CCD signal processing unit 104 in addition to the memory controller 105 and the image compression / decompression processing unit 109.

  For the optical system 101, for example, the CPU 110 performs optical zoom magnification adjustment, aperture adjustment, and the like, and the CCD image pickup unit 102 performs electronic shutter drive control, CCD drive control, and the like, and the CCD signal processing unit 104. As for, control such as automatic white balance adjustment and color conversion is performed.

  The CPU 110 is further connected to a memory card 112 composed of a flash memory or the like and a built-in HDD 119 (magnetic hard disk device) via a recording medium I / F (Interface) 111, and data is written to the memory card 112 and the HDD 119. , Control reading.

  Further, the CPU 110 is connected to the microphone 114 and the speaker 115 via the audio input / output processing unit 113, and the audio data picked up by the microphone 114 is written to the memory card 112 or the HDD 119 and reproduced from the memory card 112 or the HDD 119. The reproduction of audio data from the speaker 115 is controlled.

  The audio input / output processing unit 113 is an automatic gain control circuit that controls the audio signal from the microphone to a certain level under the control of the CPU 110, a converter that converts the level-controlled audio signal into a digital signal, and a memory card 112. Alternatively, a gain adjustment circuit that performs processing such as volume adjustment on audio data reproduced from the HDD 119, a converter that converts a digital signal into an analog signal, an audio output circuit that drives the speaker 114, and the like are included.

  The memory card 112 is a removable medium configured to be detachable from the electronic camera device 100, for example, and is managed by a file system conforming to, for example, a DCF (Design Rule for Camera File system) under the control of the CPU 110. Data is recorded as a file and played back in a format based on Exif (Exchangeable Image File Format), which is an image file format standard for digital cameras. The data recording speed to the memory card 112 is about 1 MB (megabyte) / second, that is, about 8 Mbps.

  The HDD 119 is built in the housing 201 and is composed of a magnetic hard disk, a magnetic hard disk rotation drive motor, a servo circuit, a magnetic recording / reproducing head, and the like. Record and play as. The data recording speed to the HDD 119 is as high as about 12.5 MB / second (100 Mbps).

  Furthermore, an operation unit 118 composed of a plurality of operation buttons operated by the user is connected to the CPU 110. Operation buttons include a shutter button for driving the shutter, a mode switching button for switching the shooting mode, such as whether to shoot a still image or a movie, a menu button for displaying a setting menu, and recorded image data. It includes a playback button for playback, a cross button applied to cursor movement, item selection, and the like.

  The above processing of the CPU 110 is executed based on a predetermined program. The CPU 110 includes a ROM (Read Only Memory) for storing the program therein, and a RAM (Random Access Memory) as a work memory. And a non-volatile memory for storing setting data and the like.

In the electronic camera device 100 configured as described above, first, basic operations will be described.
The user first operates a predetermined button of the operation unit 118 to set the electronic camera device 100 to, for example, a still image shooting mode. Thereafter, as described above, the signal captured by the CCD imaging unit 102 is displayed on the display unit 108 and monitored via the A / D conversion unit 103, the CCD processing unit 104, the memory controller 105, and the image processing unit 107. When the shutter button of the operation unit 118 is pressed in a state where the image is being used, the CPU 110 once clears the charges accumulated in the CCD imaging unit 103, and then sequentially captures newly accumulated charges for one screen. The signal is output as a signal, processed by the A / D converter 103 and the CCD processor 104, and temporarily stored as an image signal in the work memory 106 via the memory controller 105.

  Next, the CPU 110 uses the memory controller 105 and the image compression / decompression processing unit 109 to compress the image signal stored in the work memory 106 based on the JPEG standard, and the compressed image data is stored in the memory controller 105. And write it as an Exif file to the memory card 112 via the recording medium I / F 111.

  Thus, the still image recording process is completed. In order to reproduce the recorded still image, when the user operates the reproduction button of the operation unit 118, the CPU 110 makes full use of the recording medium I / F 111 to store the still image data recorded on the memory card 112. The file list information is read out, sent from the memory controller 105 to the image display unit 107, converted into a display signal, and displayed on the display unit 108 as a list.

  This list is configured in a GUI (Graphical User Interface) format, and the user operates, for example, the cross button of the operation unit 118 to select a file to be reproduced from the list and operates the enter button.

  Accordingly, the CPU 110 makes full use of the recording medium I / F 111 to read out the selected file from the memory card 112 and store it in the work memory 106 via the memory controller 105.

  Further, the CPU 110 performs a process of decompressing (decoding) the image data stored in the work memory 106 by using the memory controller 105 and the image compression / decompression processing unit 109, and stores the decompressed image data in the work memory 106. Let Next, the CPU 110 reads image data from the work memory 106, sends it to the image display processing unit 107 via the memory controller 105, performs processing for display, and causes the display unit 108 to display the image data.

  Next, a case where a moving image is recorded on the memory card 112 will be described. The user sets the moving image mode using the mode switching button of the operation unit 118 and presses the shutter button. Bit stream data of 6 Mbps can be recorded as a moving image.

  In response to this, the CPU 110 captures the image signal captured by the CCD image capturing unit 102 and stored in the work memory via the A / D conversion unit 103, the CCD signal processing unit 104, and the memory controller 105. The image compression / decompression processing unit 109 performs compression processing based on the MPEG standard.

  Further, at this time, the CPU 110 performs a compression process on the audio signal picked up by the microphone 114 and converted into a digital signal by the audio input / output processing unit, and multiplexes the compressed video signal with a predetermined value. In this format, the data is transferred (buffered) to the buffer memory 120. Every time 64 KB of data is accumulated in the buffer memory 120, the data is recorded on the memory card 112 via the recording medium I / F 111.

  The above processing is continuously executed until the next time the shutter button is operated, and when the shutter button is operated, the CPU 110 stops recording to the memory card 112. As a result, the moving image and audio data files are recorded in the memory card 112. The audio signal does not necessarily have to be recorded together with the moving image signal, but may be recorded only with the moving image, or only the audio signal may be recorded as a file. Is.

  When playing back a moving image signal with an audio signal recorded in the memory card 112 as described above, the user presses the play button. As a result, the CPU 110 reads a list of moving image files from the memory card 112, sends it to the image display processing unit 107 via the memory controller 105, converts it into an image signal for display in the GUI format, and displays it in the display unit. 108.

  The user operates, for example, the cross button of the operation unit 118, selects a desired file from the displayed list, and operates the enter button. Thereby, the CPU 110 reads the selected file from the memory card 112, separates the compressed moving image data by the demultiplexing process, and sequentially stores the compressed moving image data in the work memory 106 via the memory controller 105, while compressing / decompressing the image. Using the processing unit 109, it is decompressed and sequentially stored in the work memory 106 as an uncompressed image signal. At the same time, uncompressed moving image signals are sequentially read from the work memory 106, sent to the image display processing unit 107 via the memory controller 105, converted into display video signals, and displayed on the display unit 108 as moving images. .

  At the same time, the CPU 110 extracts compressed audio data from the read file data from the memory card 112 by demultiplex processing, decompresses it, sends it to the audio input / output processing unit 113, and converts it into an analog signal. The sound is output from the speaker 114.

Through the above process, playback of a moving image with sound is executed.
Next, a case where a moving image is recorded on the HDD 119 will be described. The user sets the moving image mode using the mode switching button of the operation unit 118 and presses the shutter button. Bit stream data of 6 Mbps can be recorded as a moving image.

  In response to this, the CPU 110 captures the image signal captured by the CCD image capturing unit 102 and stored in the work memory via the A / D conversion unit 103, the CCD signal processing unit 104, and the memory controller 105. The image compression / decompression processing unit 109 performs compression processing based on the MPEG standard.

  Further, at this time, the CPU 110 performs a compression process on the audio signal picked up by the microphone 114 and converted into a digital signal by the audio input / output processing unit, and multiplexes the compressed video signal with a predetermined value. In this format, the data is transferred (buffered) to the buffer memory 120. As shown in FIG. 3, the buffer memory 120 is managed in a double buffer configuration of a 16 MB memory area 402 as well as a 16 MB memory area 401. The first data is stored in the memory area 401. When the buffering to the memory area 401 is completed, the buffering to the memory area 402 is started. At the same time, the data stored in the memory area 401 is written to the HDD 119 via the recording medium I / F 111. Bitstream data of 6 Mbps can be buffered in the 16 MB memory area 401 for about 21 seconds, but the write processing of the data buffered in the memory area 401 to the HDD 119 requires overhead for starting the motor of the HDD 119. Since the processing is completed in about 5 seconds even if it is included, the HDD 119 is in a sleep state for the remaining 16 seconds while the next data is buffered in the memory area 402, that is, the head is retracted, and the magnetic hard disk rotation driving motor is stopped. Thereafter, when data accumulates in the memory area 402 and data buffering in the memory area 401 starts again, the data buffered in the memory area 402 is written to the HDD 119. Similarly, since the writing is completed in about 5 seconds, the HDD 119 is set in the sleep state after the completion.

  The above processing is continuously executed until the next time the shutter button is operated, and when the shutter button is operated, the CPU 110 stops recording to the HDD 119. As a result, the moving image and audio data files are recorded in the HDD 119.

  FIG. 3 is a graph A showing the power consumption when data is recorded on the HDD 119 by applying the recording method of this embodiment, and the power consumption when the recording method to the memory card 112 is applied to the HDD 119, for example. It is a figure which shows the comparison with the graph B shown.

  As shown in FIG. 3, when the recording method to the memory card 112 (the method of writing every 64 KB) is applied to the writing to the HDD 119 as it is, the HDD 119 is always in a standby state, that is, the motor is driven, Since it is necessary to maintain a state where writing can be performed immediately at a predetermined position, the amount of power consumption increases.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, since the data recording method to the HDD 119 and the data recording method to the memory card 112 are different from each other, it is possible to save power and to optimize the data recording time. Can be planned.

  In addition, since the HDD 119 is built in, the capacity of the buffer memory 120, the write cycle, and the like can be optimally set in accordance with the characteristics unique to the HDD 119 to be adopted, compared with the case where a PC card type HDD is used. It is possible to provide an electronic camera device that is easy to optimize and easy to use for the user.

1 is a perspective view of an electronic camera device according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. 1 is a circuit block diagram of an electronic camera device according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating power consumption during data recording in the electronic camera device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 ... Electronic camera apparatus 101 ... Imaging lens 102 ... CCD imaging part 103 ... A / D conversion part 104 ... CCD signal processing part 105 ... Memory controller 110 ... CPU
112 ... Memory card 119 ... HDD
120 ... Buffer memory

Claims (3)

Means for forming an imaging target as an optical image;
Means for converting the imaged optical image into an electrical signal;
Means for converting the electrical signal into digitized image data;
A magnetic hard disk apparatus and notes Rica over de the image data is recorded,
The includes a first region with a storage capacity of a first amount, and a second region with a storage capacity of the second amount greater than the first amount, the same storage capacity and the second region A buffer memory having three areas;
It means for inputting information indicating whether to record the image data in either of the magnetic hard disk device or memo Rica over de,
Means for holding the image data in the first area when the input information indicates recording on the memory card;
Means for recording image data held in the first area on the memory card;
Storing information the input, when it was intended to show the recording to the magnetic hard disc apparatus, a pre-Symbol image data to the one region reaches the second amount of said second and third regions and, and it means you accumulate the image data to the storage amount of the at one region reaches the second amount to the other area in response to reaching said second amount,
The accumulated second amount of image data corresponding to the fact that the accumulated amount of one of the second and third regions has reached the second amount is stored in the magnetic hard disk device. Means for recording ;
Recording of the second amount of image data held in one of the second or third regions to the magnetic hard disk device is completed, and accumulation of the second amount of image data in the other region is completed. An electronic apparatus comprising: means for putting the magnetic hard disk device in a sleep state when not completed . The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the magnetic hard disk device is built in a main body. Data recording in an electronic apparatus comprising means for forming an imaging target as an optical image, means for converting the imaged optical image into an electrical signal, and means for converting the electrical signal into digitized image data A method,
Inputting information indicating whether to record the image data in either of the magnetic hard disk device or memo Rica over de,
And step information the input, to the case were those indicating the recording to the memory card, and holds the previous SL image data in a first region in which a buffer memory for holding said image data has,
And recording the image data held in the first area in the memo Rica over de,
Information the input, the case was something that indicates the recording to the magnetic hard disc apparatus, the buffer memory having the first greater than the amount the second to the second or third one realm of one of the accumulating the image picture data until the amount, and reaches the second amount of the image data corresponding to the other region that accumulated amount reaches the second amount in said one region the method comprising the steps of: accumulated up to,
The accumulated second amount of image data corresponding to the fact that the accumulated amount of one of the second and third regions has reached the second amount is stored in the magnetic hard disk device. Recording step ;
Recording of the second amount of image data stored in one of the second or third regions to the magnetic hard disk device is completed, and storage of the second amount of image data in the other region is completed. A data recording method comprising: bringing the magnetic hard disk device into a sleep state when the process is not completed .

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