JPH0792980B2 - Electronic still camera - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The electronic still camera of the present invention will be described in accordance with the following items.

A. Industrial field of use B. Outline of the invention C. Prior art D. Problems to be solved by the invention E. Means for solving the problems F. Action G. Example [Fig. 1, Fig. 2 Fig.] A. Circuit configuration [Fig. 1] b. Operation [Fig. 2] H. Effects of the invention (A. Field of industrial application) The present invention relates to a novel electronic still camera, particularly a voice storage memory for storing voice. The present invention relates to an electronic still camera, which is provided with a recording medium and records an image and a voice stored in the voice storage memory while forming separate tracks.

(B. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION) The present invention provides an electronic still camera that includes an audio storage memory for storing audio, and records an image and audio stored in the audio storage memory on a recording medium while forming separate tracks. , In order to enable sound collection to be started at any timing regardless of the shooting timing, to be able to arbitrarily extend the recording time of one audio recording, and to enable audio recording without connection to video. , When recording is performed after the audio switch sound collection start operation but before the sound storage memory sound collection time elapses, recording and recording are performed on another track at that time, and no picture is taken until the sound collection time elapses. Sound recording is performed, and the sound collecting operation is continuously performed after the sound collection start operation of the audio switch and before the sound collection end operation, and during that time, the sound collection available time elapses. In which it was to carry out at least recording.

(C. Prior Art) Sound at the shooting site together with shooting of an image as an electronic still camera, for example, when the subject is a person, the sound emitted by the subject (eg, greeting, message, message, etc.),
Alternatively, it has been proposed to record a commentary on the subject by the photographer, or a voice around the subject. The electronic still camera described in JP-A-58-218004 is an example of an electronic still camera having such a voice recording function.

The electronic still camera described in the above publication is equipped with a shift register that delays and stores audio signals that are sequentially input in time series for a predetermined time (for example, 4 seconds), and is delayed in response to the shooting of a still image. Sequential recording of audio signals overflowing from the shift register onto the recording medium is started.

To describe this electronic still camera more specifically, the electronic still camera described in the above publication has a shift register for audio signals when a recording button provided separately from a recording button corresponding to a shutter is turned on. Import to Then, when the recording button is pressed thereafter, shooting is performed, the shot still image is recorded on the recording medium, and the operation of sequentially recording the audio signal overflowing from the shift register on the recording medium is started. Then, after the recording of the audio signal to the recording medium is started, the time recording capacity of the shift register (for example, 10 seconds) t
When the time elapses, audio recording is stopped. Then, when the recording button is turned off, a series of recording sequences is completed. If the recording button is turned off before the time t elapses after the recording of the audio signal on the recording medium is started, the audio recording is stopped when the recording button is turned off. A series of recording sequences ends.

(D. Problems to be Solved by the Invention) According to the electronic still camera described above, the recording target period is not started by operating the record button, but when the record button is operated, the delay time starts from that point. It will start retroactively. Therefore, it is impossible to freely select the start time of the recording target period independently of the shooting time. Therefore, the sound pickup is started at the best timing according to the shooting situation, and at the best timing,
In other words, I couldn't shoot at the best photo opportunity.

In the electronic still camera described in the above publication, the recording time for one audio recording is limited to, for example, 10 seconds depending on the audio recording capacity of a track of a recording medium (specifically, a magnetic disk). However, for example, a message, an explanation, etc. often do not end within 10 seconds, and in such a case, the message, the explanation, etc. are interrupted on the way and are not recorded thereafter. This was also a problem.

Furthermore, in the electronic still camera described in the above publication, it is not possible to record only the sound independently of the video signal, and only when the video is recorded, the sound is recorded except when the audio is incidentally recorded. I couldn't.
However, it has been recognized that there is a need to make full use of the audio recording function of an electronic still camera with audio recording so that only the audio can be recorded regardless of the image. Couldn't answer.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems.
The sound collection can be started at any timing regardless of the shooting timing, secondly, the recording time of one audio recording can be arbitrarily extended, and thirdly, the connection with the image can be eliminated. The purpose is to enable voice recording.

(E. Means for Solving Problems) In order to solve the above problems, the electronic still camera according to the present invention, when taken after the sound collection start operation of the audio switch and before the sound collection possible time of the voice storage memory has elapsed At that time, recording and recording are performed on different tracks, only recording is performed if no recording is taken before the sound collection time has elapsed, and recording is performed after the audio switch sound collection start operation and before sound collection end operation. It is characterized in that the sound operation is continuously performed, and at least recording is performed every time a sound collection possible time elapses during the sound operation.

(F. Action) Therefore, according to the electronic still camera of the present invention,
In addition, since the sound collection is started when the sound switch starts the sound collection operation, the sound collection start timing can be determined independently of the shooting timing. Second, recording is automatically performed (that is, recording of the sound picked up in the voice storage memory on the recording medium) when no image is taken even after the recordable period of the voice storage memory has elapsed since the start of the sound pickup. The sound is continuously picked up after that, and when the picture is taken after that, the recorded picture is recorded for the first time together with the sound picked up after the end of the previous recording. By delaying, the recording time of the sound corresponding to the captured image can be arbitrarily extended. And the third
In addition, only recording is performed if shooting is not performed until the sound collection is ended after the sound collection is started by operating the audio switch. Therefore, recording can be performed independently of shooting, that is, audio recording unrelated to video can be performed.

(G. Embodiment) [FIGS. 1 and 2] Hereinafter, an electronic still camera of the present invention will be described in detail according to an embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 are for explaining an example of implementation of the electronic still camera of the present invention.

(A. Circuit Configuration) [FIG. 1] In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 is a taking lens, and 2 is a shutter disposed behind the taking lens 1, which is opened and closed by operating a shutter key 3. Specifically, the shutter key 3 is, for example, a push-in type, and plays three kinds of roles sequentially by one shutter operation. First, when touched with a finger, a photometering circuit (not shown) is operated, and when it is half-pressed, the AF circuit (autofocus device) 4 is operated to operate the photographing lens 1
Move the lens back and forth to bring it into focus. When the focus is achieved in this way, the focus is locked. Then, when the shutter key 3 is pressed halfway down to be completely pressed, the shutter 2 is only released at that time. A focus detection element 5 detects the focus and sends a focus detection signal indicating the detection result to the AF device 4. Reference numeral 6 denotes a photographing device, which is disposed behind the shutter 2 and includes a solid-state photographing device such as a charge-coupled device (CCD). The photographing device 6 receives light from a subject through the photographing lens 1 and converts it into an electric signal. Reference numeral 7 is an amplifier for amplifying the output of the image pickup apparatus 6, and 8 is a recording process circuit, which FM-modulates the output signal of the image pickup apparatus 6 amplified by the amplifier 7 and converts it into a video signal. The recording process circuit 8 converts an electric signal of light applied to the photographing device 6 into a video signal while the shutter 2 is opened and closed when the shutter button 3 is fully pressed. Reference numeral 9 is an amplifier for amplifying the video signal, and 10 is a recording magnetic head for magnetically recording the video signal amplified by the amplifier 9 on the magnetic disk 11, which is produced by the recording process circuit 8 and amplified by the amplifier 9. The video signal is magnetically recorded on the magnetic disk 11 via the magnetic head 10.

12 is a microphone for collecting voice, 13 is the microphone
An amplifier for amplifying the audio signal output from 12, 14 is an A / D converter for converting the audio signal amplified by the amplifier 13 into a digital signal, 15 is an audio storage memory, and is converted into a digital signal by the A / D converter 15. Memorize (pick up) the converted audio signal. The voice storage memory 15 has a storage capacity capable of storing a voice signal of t for a predetermined time (for example, 10 seconds). A D / A converter 16 converts a digital audio signal read from the audio storage memory 15 into an analog signal. 17 is a recording process circuit,
The audio signal converted into the analog signal by the D / A converter 16 is FM-modulated, for example. 18 is an amplifier that amplifies the audio signal output from the recording process circuit 17, 19 is the amplifier
A magnetic head for recording that magnetically records the audio signal output from 18 on the magnetic disk 11.

Reference numeral 20 is an audio key, which is a voice storage memory for the voice captured by the microphone 12 when pressed when not picked up.
The operation stored in 15, that is, the sound collection is started. And
It has a function of ending the sound collection when it is pressed while the sound is being collected. It should be noted that the time corresponding to the storage capacity of the voice storage memory 15, that is, every time the time storage capacity t elapses, is recorded by the voice storage memory 15 after the start of the pickup until the end of the pickup. The stored audio signal is magnetically recorded on the magnetic disk 11. This point will be described in detail later.

A system controller 21 controls the entire internal circuit of the camera based on the operation contents of the audio key 20 and the shutter button 3. Specifically, A / D converter 1
4. Sending a control signal to the voice storage memory 15 and the D / A converter 16 to write the voice signal in the voice storage memory 15 and performing a write control to read the voice signal from the voice storage memory 15; To perform a focus operation, to release the shutter 2, to control the tracking circuit 22 to perform tracking, and to control the servo circuit 23 to rotate the magnetic disk 11. 24 is a tracking motor, and a magnetic head 1
0 and 19 are moved in the radial direction of the magnetic disk 11. Reference numeral 25 is a motor for rotating the magnetic disk 11, and the servo circuit 23
Controlled by.

(B. Operation) [FIG. 2] FIGS. 2 (A) to 2 (C) are time charts showing different examples of audio and video recording modes, and the operation of the electronic still camera will be described with reference to FIG. To do.

(A) First, the case shown in FIG.

Sound collection starts when the audio key 20 is pushed. After that, when the shutter key 3 is pressed when a certain time Ta (t> Ta) shorter than the temporal storage capacity t of the audio storage memory 15 has elapsed, shooting and recording (this image is V ₁ )
And a magnetic disk of the voice collected in the voice storage memory 15.
Recording to 11, that is, recording (the voice is referred to as A ₁ ) is performed at the same time. At the time of this video recording, video and audio are recorded and coding is performed to show the correspondence between the video and audio. The video V ₁ and the audio A ₁ are associated with each other by this coding. By associating this video recording with the audio recording, it becomes possible to reproduce the audio A ₁ while the video V ₁ is being reproduced in the subsequent reproduction. That is, this coding associates the reproduced video and audio when the recorded one is reproduced.

Sound is continuously picked up even if the above-mentioned shutter key 3 is operated (the voice storage memory 15 is read at the time of recording, then the memory 15 is cleared, and then voice writing is started again. Strictly speaking, writing (that is, sound collection) is not performed for that very short time, for example, 1/30 second, but that time is very short, for example, 1/30 second, so it is practical. Can be ignored, it can be said that the sound collection is performed continuously without interruption by recording.). Then, after the shutter key 3 is operated, a certain time Ta shorter than the temporal storage capacity t of the voice storage memory 15 is reached.
When the shutter key 3 is operated when (t> Ta) has elapsed, the shooting and recording (the video recorded and recorded is V ₂ ) and the recording of the sound picked up in the sound storage memory 15 are also performed at this time ( The picked-up and recorded voice is A _2. )
And are done at the same time. And at that time, the video V ₂
And a voice A ₂ are associated with each other.

Then, when a certain time Tb (t> Tb) shorter than the temporal storage capacity t of the audio storage memory 15 has elapsed after operating the shutter key 3 for recording and recording the video V ₂ and the audio A _2. If audio key 20 is pushed, sound collection stops. Here, the sound collected until the audio key 20 is pushed after the shutter key 3 is operated is A
_Set to ₃ .

If the shutter key 3 is not operated within a preset shutter wait time Tc (for example, 3 seconds) after the audio key 20 is pushed, when the shutter wait time Tc elapses, the voice A ₃ Recording is done. The recording of the voice A ₃ is coded as a recording having no correspondence with the recording. Such recording A ₃
No video appears on the playback screen of the playback device during playback.

(B) Next, the recording mode example shown in FIG. 2 (B) will be described.

In this recording mode example, after the audio key 20 is pushed, the shutter key 3 is operated within the time storage capacity t of the audio storage memory 15 to record the video V ₁ and the audio A ₁ .
After that, the shutter key 3 is further operated within the time storage capacity t to record the video V ₂ and the sound A ₂ , and then the audio key 20 is pushed within the time storage capacity t to collect the sound (A ₃ ) is the same as the case shown in FIG.

However, this recording mode example is different from the case shown in FIG. 9A in that the shutter key 3 is pressed before the shutter wait time Tc elapses after the audio key 20 is pushed. When the shutter key 3 is pressed before the shutter waiting time Tc after the audio key 20 is pushed, the image V ₃ is captured and recorded at that time, and the audio A ₃ picked up in the audio storage memory 15 is recorded. Will be recorded. Then, coding is performed so that the audio A ₃ and the video V ₃ are associated with each other.

As is clear from each recording mode example shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, in the present electronic still camera, after the audio key 20 is pushed, the shutter is released within the temporal storage capacity t of the voice storage memory 15. When the key 3 is operated, shooting is performed at that point and recording of the image taken, that is, recording is performed. At the same time, a sound storage memory is provided after the audio key 20 is pushed and the shutter key 3 is operated.
The sound picked up in 15 is recorded. Further, when the shutter key 3 is operated within the temporal storage capacity t after the operation of the shutter key 3 for recording and recording, recording and recording are similarly performed.

When the shutter key 3 is pushed to record and record at the same time when a certain sound is collected, the record and the record are associated with each other.

Then, when the audio key 20 is pushed in the middle of collecting a certain sound (for example, collecting the sound A ₃ ), the sound collection is stopped and the collected sound is held in the sound storage memory 15. Then, after waiting for a certain shutter waiting time (for example, 3 seconds) Tc for the shutter key 3 to be pushed, if the shutter is not released during that time, as shown in FIG. ₃ ) The recorded audio is recorded as audio that does not correspond to the video. Further, when the shutter is released within the shutter waiting time Tc, recording and recording are simultaneously performed as shown in FIG. 2 (B), and the recorded voice (for example, A ₃ ) is recorded. It is associated with a video (for example, V ₃ ).

(C) Next, the recording mode example shown in FIG. 2 (C) will be described.

This recording mode example is used when neither the shutter key 3 nor the audio key 20 is operated within the temporal storage capacity t of the voice storage memory 15 after the audio key 20 is pushed to start collecting sound. The voice A ₁ recorded in the voice storage memory 15 is recorded within the time storage capacity t. Then, the sound collection continues even after the recording.

When the shutter key 3 is pushed before the lapse of the temporal storage capacity t of the voice storage memory 15 after the voice A _1, the voice A ₂ and the video V ₂ are simultaneously recorded. Then, in such a case, the audio A ₁ and A ₂ are transferred to the video V.
_By coding so that ₂ and ₂ are associated with _{each other} , the audios A ₁ and A ₂ can be continuously reproduced when the video V ₂ is reproduced.

It should be noted that when the shutter key 3 is pushed, sound collection continues, and when the shutter key 3 is pushed within the temporal memory capacity t, the same recording mode example as shown in FIGS. 2 (A) and 2 (B) is obtained. So that the recording is done. On the contrary, when the shutter key 3 is not operated within the time storage capacity t, only recording is performed. Also, audio key 20
If the shutter key 3 is not operated after pushing, the voice will continue to be picked up until the audio key 20 is pushed again, during which time only recording will be performed every time the temporal recording capacity t has elapsed. In this way, a series of sounds recorded several times becomes sounds that are not associated with the video.

Then, in actuality, according to the operation of the camera, FIG.
Recording can be performed in a mode in which the recording modes described in (A) and (B) and the recording modes described in FIG.

When the shutter key 3 is pushed, the AF device operates until the shutter is released (during which, for example, 0.5 seconds) and an unpleasant operating sound is generated. The operation sound may be picked up by an internal microphone (a microphone built in the camera body). Therefore, when sound is picked up by the internal microphone, when the shutter key 3 is operated, that is, when the shutter is turned on in FIGS. 2A, 2B and 2C, for example, muting is performed for about 0.5 seconds, or It is conceivable that the sound is attenuated so that an unpleasant operation sound is not recorded. When using an external microphone (a microphone that is connected to the camera body via a cord) to collect sound
Since the operation sound of the AF device is hardly collected by the microphone, it is not necessary to apply voice muting or attenuate the voice.

According to such an electronic still camera, the audio key
Sound collection can be started by pushing 20 and shooting can be carried out by pushing the shutter key 3, and the sound collection start timing and the shooting timing can be independently determined.

Then, after the audio key 20 is pushed to start collecting sound, or the shutter key 3 is pushed to record and record sound during recording, the voice storage memory 15
When the shutter 2 is not released even after the lapse of the temporal storage capacity t, the recording is automatically performed and the sound is continuously picked up (actually, the writing is interrupted during the recording, and the writing is performed again. , The interruption time is so short that it can be ignored.)
Therefore, the recording time of audio for one video can be arbitrarily extended.

Then, if the user does not shoot until the end of the sound collection after the start of the sound collection by the operation of the audio key 20, only the recording will be performed. Therefore, it is possible to record only the sound that is not associated with shooting.

(H. Effect of the Invention) As is clear from the above description, the electronic still camera of the present invention includes a voice storage memory for storing voice,
In an electronic still camera that records an image and a sound stored in the sound storage memory on a recording medium while forming separate tracks, starts and ends a sound collection operation that sequentially stores sound in the sound storage memory. The audio switch and the audio stored in the audio storage memory are separated from each other when the audio switch is operated to start recording and before the sound collection time in the audio storage memory elapses. When recording is not performed within the sound collection time of the audio storage memory after the audio switch starts sound collection, only the sound is recorded on the track when the sound collection time elapses. , The sound collection operation continues until the sound collection start operation is performed after the sound collection start operation of the audio switch, and the sound collection possible time elapses during that time. Characterized by having a system controller for controlling so as to at least the picked-up recording the track of audio.

Therefore, according to the electronic still camera of the present invention,
In addition, since the sound collection is started when the sound switch starts the sound collection operation, the sound collection start timing can be determined independently of the shooting timing. Second, recording is automatically performed (that is, recording of the sound picked up in the voice storage memory on the recording medium) when no image is taken even after the recordable period of the voice storage memory has elapsed since the start of the sound pickup. The sound is continuously picked up after that, and when the picture is taken, the picture of the picture taken is recorded for the first time together with the sound picked up after the end of the previous recording, so the picture taking timing can be arbitrarily delayed. As a result, the recording time of the sound corresponding to the captured video can be arbitrarily extended. Thirdly, only recording is performed unless shooting is performed until the sound collection is ended after the sound collection is started by operating the audio switch. Therefore, make recordings independently of shooting,
That is, audio recording can be performed regardless of the image.

[Brief description of drawings]

The drawings are for explaining one example of the embodiment of the electronic still camera of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a circuit block diagram showing a circuit configuration of the camera, and FIGS. 2 (A) to 2 (C) are each a diagram for operating. It is a flowchart which shows another example of a recording aspect. Explanation of code 11 …… Recording medium, 15 …… Voice storage memory, 20 …… Audio switch

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An electronic still camera, comprising an audio storage memory for storing audio, wherein an image and an audio stored in said audio storage memory are recorded on a recording medium while forming separate tracks. The audio switch that starts and ends the sound collection operation that is stored in the storage memory, and the picture that was taken before the sound collection possible time of the voice storage memory after the start of the sound collection operation of the audio switch. When the image and the sound stored in the sound storage memory are recorded on separate tracks, and after the sound switch start operation for picking up the sound, the shooting is not performed within the sound collection time of the sound storage memory. When the sound collection available time has elapsed, only the sound is recorded on the track, and after the sound collection start operation is performed after the sound switch starts sound collection end operation. Sound collecting operation is continued, an electronic still camera, comprising a system controller for controlling so as to at least the picked-up recording the track of the sound each time elapses between the sound pickup available time