JP2704664B2 - camera - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a camera equipped with a so-called electronic volume circuit.

A camera, particularly a camera equipped with a solid-state electronic imaging device as an imaging means, has parameters that need to be adjusted at the stage of manufacturing or shipping the camera, such as the gain of a color balance adjustment circuit and the aperture level of a matrix circuit. These parameters are conventionally adjusted using semi-fixed volumes. However, it is difficult or almost impossible to arrange many volumes when considering the miniaturization of the camera. Therefore, the adjustment data of the parameters of the circuits which need to be adjusted at the manufacturing stage or the shipping stage of the camera are stored in a non-volatile memory in advance, and when the camera is operated (for example, when the power is turned on), the adjustment data is stored in the memory. If an electronic volume system in which the parameters are read out and the parameters of the corresponding circuit are adjusted is adopted, there is no mounting restriction as in a conventional volume that is manually adjusted, which is very convenient.

However, at the time of parameter adjustment at the manufacturing stage or shipping stage, there is no adjustment data in the non-volatile memory (normally, initial data such as 00 or FF is set in the memory), and the circuit does not operate. Cannot find and write to non-volatile memory.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to reliably execute an initial operation at the time of parameter adjustment work in a camera employing an electronic volume system, and to enable creation of parameter adjustment data. According to the camera of the present invention, a nonvolatile memory for storing adjustment data relating to parameters of a circuit requiring parameter adjustment in a predetermined storage location, and data representing preset values relating to parameters of the circuit requiring parameter adjustment are preset. Control means, wherein the control means sets the control data when the data stored in the storage location of the adjustment data relating to the parameters in the nonvolatile memory is specific initial data. It is characterized in that data representing a preset value is given to the circuit requiring parameter adjustment.

According to the present invention, in the first operation after the camera is manufactured, even if the adjustment data relating to the parameter has not been set in the nonvolatile memory yet, the data representing the preset value preset in the control means is stored in the parameter. Since it is possible to give a circuit that needs adjustment and operate this circuit, it becomes possible to operate the camera to obtain parameter adjustment data and set it in the nonvolatile memory. According to the present invention, since the electronic volume system is employed, a highly reliable camera which does not change over time, is resistant to vibration and the like is realized.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments in which the present invention is applied to a still video camera (electronic still camera) will be described in detail.

FIG. 1 shows a part of the electric configuration of a still video camera.

The overall operation of the still video camera is controlled by the control unit 10
Is governed by The control device 10 includes a CPU, a memory,
It is composed of an interface and the like.

The imaging optical system 20 includes an imaging lens system 21, an aperture 22, and a shutter (not shown; the shutter can be realized by an electronic shutter) for forming a subject image. A photometric element 23 for measuring the luminance of the incident light is disposed in the imaging optical system 20, and a signal representing the measured luminance is input to the control device 10. Aperture 22 is a control device
Controlled by 10. The aperture 22 may be set manually.

On the focal plane of the optical system 20, a solid-state electronic imaging device 24 such as a CCD is arranged. In the electronic shutter system, the signal charge accumulation time of the solid-state electronic imaging device 24 is controlled by the control device 10. The video data of the subject formed on the imaging device 24 is read out as a video signal in synchronization with a synchronization signal given by the control device 10, and is input to a color separation circuit 26 via a preamplifier circuit 25. Color separation circuit
26 is the three primary colors representing the subject image, R (red), G (green) and B
Outputs the (blue) color signal. These color signals R, G and B are supplied to variable gain amplifier circuits (color balance adjustment circuits) 27, 28 and 29.
, And then input to a gamma correction circuit (gradation correction circuit) 30.

A control signal from the electronic volume circuit 45 is given to the variable gain amplifier circuit 27 to which the color signal R is input and the variable gain amplifier circuit 29 to which the color signal B is input, among the variable gain amplifier circuits 27 to 29, Gain adjustment (color balance adjustment) of each signal is performed based on the signal.

The data used for the gain adjustment of the variable gain amplifier circuits 27 and 29 is data (adjustment data WBR, WBB) (see FIG. 2) stored in the RAM 42 as described later.
Is stored in the initial data (for example, 00 or F
In the case of F), the preset value set in the control device 10 is used.

The output color signals R, G, and B of the gamma correction circuit 30 are supplied to a luminance signal Y generation circuit 31 and a matrix circuit 33, respectively. Color signal input by the luminance signal Y generation circuit 31
A luminance signal Y is generated from R, G and B. The generated luminance signal Y is provided to the matrix circuit 33 and the 1H delay circuit 32. Luminance signal delayed by 1H by 1H delay circuit 32
Y _D is generated and supplied to the matrix circuit 33.

The matrix circuit 33 receives input signals, color signals R, G,
A luminance signal Y + S including the color difference signals R-Y _L and B-Y _L and the synchronization signal S is generated from B, the luminance signal Y, and the luminance signal Y _D delayed by 1H (Y _L is a low-frequency component of the luminance signal). Matrix circuit
33 includes a vertical contour emphasis circuit (not shown). The matrix circuit 33 is supplied with a control signal from the electronic volume circuit 46. Based on the control signal, the above-described color difference signal and luminance signal creation processing and vertical contour enhancement processing are performed. In addition to the control signal APL aperture level defining the degree of the vertical contour enhancement to this control signal, the gain control signal G _Y, 1 for adjusting the gain of the luminance signal Y _L
Gain control signal G _D for adjusting the gain of luminance signal Y _D delayed by H, aperture slice control signal APS and white clip control signal WC
and so on.

The adjustment data to be given to the electronic volume circuit 46 in order to generate these control signals from the electronic volume circuit 46 is also stored in the RAM 42 in the same manner as the data WBR and WBB used for the gain adjustment of the variable gain amplifier circuits 27 and 29 described above. (See FIG. 2). When the data stored in the RAM 42 is the initial data, the preset value set in the control device 10 is used.

The luminance signal Y + S and two color difference signals R-Y _L output from the matrix circuit 33, the B-Y _L is inputted to the recording signal processing circuit 34.

The recording signal processing circuit 34 includes a line-sequencing circuit, a pre-emphasis circuit, an FM modulation circuit, a synthesizing circuit, and the like, and the FM-modulated synthesized video signal is output from the circuit 34 and transmitted to the recording control gate circuit 35. Can be

The still video magnetic disk 11 is a disk motor 37
, And is driven to rotate at a constant rotation speed, for example, 3600 rpm. The magnetic disk 11 is in contact with a recording magnetic head 36, and its core has a phase detector that generates a PG with one phase detection pulse per rotation of the magnetic disk 11.
12 are in close proximity. The magnetic head 36 is transferred in the radial direction of the magnetic disk 11 by the transfer mechanism, and is positioned on a predetermined track. The phase detection pulse PG is provided to the control device 10.

The control device 10 has a RAM 4 for storing the above-described adjustment data.
2. A liquid crystal panel 43 for visually displaying various information for adjustment operators and photographers, and various switches 41 and 50 to 53 are connected.

The setting of the adjustment data in the RAM 42 is performed at the stage of manufacturing or shipping the camera. In setting the adjustment data, the adjustment mode is selected by the adjustment mode switch 41. Next, an item to be adjusted is selected by the select switch 53.

For example, when setting the adjustment data WBR and WBB for color balance, a white object is imaged, and these adjustment data are adjusted while operating the up switch 50, down switch 51. Then, the color signals R, G, B are R = G
When a write command is input from the switch 52 when = B, the final adjustment data WBR and WBB are written into the RAM 42. Adjustment data for other adjustment items can be set by the same operation.

FIG. 3 shows a procedure of processing by the control device 10 that controls the color balance adjustment circuits 27 and 29 and the matrix circuit 33 using the adjustment data stored in the RAM 42. This process is performed when the power is turned on.

First, the adjustment data relating to the first item (for example, the color signal R) is read from the RAM 42 (step 61), and
Or it is checked whether it is FF (initial data) (step 62). If it is not the initial data, it has already been adjusted, so the read adjustment data is given to the corresponding electronic volume circuit (circuit 45 in the case of data WBR) (step 6).
3). The above processing is repeated for all items (step 65).

The electronic volume circuit 45 includes D / A conversion circuits 44R and 44R, and holds and outputs a voltage signal (control voltage) corresponding to the input data WBR or WBB. One D / A
The conversion circuit 44R is for the color signal R, and the other D / A conversion circuit 44R is for the color signal B. The voltage signal output from the electronic volume circuit 45 is used for gain control of the variable gain amplifier circuits 27 and 29.

Various processes in the matrix circuit 33 are also performed based on the adjustment data stored in the RAM. For example RAM4
Adjustment data such as gain control of the luminance signal Y is read out from 2 and supplied to the control device 10. The read adjustment data is supplied to the electronic volume circuit 46. The electronic volume circuit 46 also includes a D / A conversion circuit 47, and a voltage signal (gain control signal) corresponding to the input adjustment data.
G _Y ) to the matrix circuit 33. The same applies to other adjustment data relating to the matrix circuit 33.

Before the adjustment data is set in the RAM 42, the data in the RAM 42 is all 00 or all FF. In particular, at the time of the operation in the above-described adjustment mode, the adjustment data has not been set in the RAM 42 yet. To cope with such a situation, a preset value is stored in the control device 10 (for example, on a program thereof) in advance. For example, the design value of the adjustment data is adopted as the preset value. The design value is such that the circuits 27, 29, 33, etc. do not operate correctly in a strict sense like the operation after adjustment, but to the extent that it does not hinder the camera operation. Is an operable value.

In FIG. 3, when the data read from the RAM 42 is initial data (00 or FF), the preset value of the control device 10 is set in the electronic volume circuit 45 or 46 (step 64). In this manner, the operation of the camera can be performed without any trouble even when the adjustment data has not been set in the RAM 42 yet.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG.
FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing an example of the contents stored in the RAM, and FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a control processing procedure of the circuit based on the adjustment data. 10 Control device, 27-29 Variable gain amplifier circuit, 33 Matrix circuit, 42 RAM, 45, 46 Electronic volume circuit.

Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Masanaga Yamamoto 2-26-30 Nishiazabu, Minato-ku, Tokyo Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Masanori Yoshida 2-26-30 Nishiazabu, Minato-ku, Tokyo Fuji Photo Film Stock In-company (56) References JP-A-60-124190 (JP, A) JP-A-1-130212 (JP, A)

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] A nonvolatile memory for storing adjustment data relating to parameters of a circuit requiring parameter adjustment in a predetermined storage location, and data representing preset values relating to parameters of the circuit requiring parameter adjustment are set in advance. The control means, wherein the data stored in the storage location of the adjustment data relating to the parameters in the nonvolatile memory is specific initial data, the preset data set in the control means. A camera, wherein data representing a value is provided to the circuit requiring parameter adjustment.