Image signal processing unit and electronic still camera

• US 20030048365A1
• Filed: 10/18/2002
• Published: 03/13/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/1996
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co Limited (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Saito, Osamu, Misawa, Atsushi, Misawa, Takeshi
• Granted Patent: US 7,239,349 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/231.7
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00204 with a digital computer or a digital computer system, e.g. an internet server programmed control between transmitter and receiver or between image input and image output device H04N1/32561
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00236 using an image reading or reproducing device, e.g. a facsimile reader or printer, as a local input to or local output from a computer image input to or image output from a computer via a network H04N1/00209
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00241 using an image reading device as a local input to a computer input via network, e.g. network scanners H04N1/00225
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2158 using a detachable storage unit
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0034 Details of the connection, e.g. connector, interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0051 Card-type connector, e.g. PCMCIA card interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/531 being rotatable or detachable
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/55 Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/63 by using electronic viewfinders
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/65 Control of camera operation in relation to power supply

Abstract

An electronic still camera which is able to substantially lessen the amount of trouble of inserting and drawing a PC card during photographing or when image data are transferred to a host computer such as a laptop computer, and which is able to increase the number of photographing. The electronic still camera has the PC card which is inserted into or drawn out from a camera body, which has the same shape as the PC card. The PC card or the camera body shaped like the PC card is inserted into a PC card slot of the host computer to transmit and receive the image data, etc. . A camera casing including a taking lens, etc. is mounted in the camera body shaped like the PC card, and a sheet-like battery is provided in the camera body. The taking lens is capable of projecting from and retracting into the camera body.

Claims

1. Image signal processing apparatus which comprises a camera body, a memory card which is inserted into and drawn out from said camera body, and a host computer which transmits and receives image data to and from said memory card, said image signal processing apparatus wherein:

said memory card has two connectors which are connected to said camera body and said host computer, said memory card being constructed in such a way that said two connectors are simultaneously mounted in said camera body and said host computer;

said camera body has means for detecting the state of the first connection where only said memory card is connected, and the state of the second connection where only said host computer is connected via said memory card;

if detecting said first connection, said camera body supplies a power to said memory card and enters a normal mode for executing a normal photographing sequence of recording image data captured during photographing in said memory card, and if detecting said second connection, said camera body receives a power from said host computer via said memory card and a photographing command including a shutter release instruction and enters a host computer remote mode for photographing; and

said host computer has a function of executing an image transfer/regenerate sequence between said host computer and an image memory in said memory card, and a function of supplying the power from said host computer to said camera body via said memory card and transmitting a photographing command including said shutter release instruction.

2. The image signal processing apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein a power source of said camera body is chargeable, and said camera body enters a charge mode to charge said power source with a power source which is received from said host computer side via said memory card during said host computer remote mode.

3. The image signal processing apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said host computer displays an image on a monitor screen real time according to image data received via said memory card from said camera body.

4. An electronic still camera which comprises an image pickup unit and an IC card capable of being attached to and detached from said image pickup unit;

said electronic still camera wherein;

said image pickup unit includes a taking lens, an image pickup element, and the first connector which said IC card is attached to and detached from, said image pickup unit transmitting a signal representing an object image obtained through said taking lens and said image pickup element to said IC card attached to said first connector; and

said IC card comprises the second connector provided at one short side of said IC card and connected to said first connector, signal processing means for processing a signal representing said object image, the third connector provided at the other short side of said IC card and transferring image data stored in a small memory card to external apparatus to which said IC card is attached, the fourth connector to which said small memory card is attached to and detached from, and a card slot at a diagonal side of said IC card where the second and third connectors are not provided, said small memory card being inserted into said card slot.

5. A card-sized electronic still camera which comprises an image pickup unit and an IC card which can be attached to and detached from said image pickup unit;

said card-sized electronic still camera wherein;

said image pickup unit includes a taking lens, an image pickup element, and the first connector to which said IC card is attached to and detached from, said image pickup unit transmitting a signal representing an object image captured through said taking lens and said image pickup element to said IC card attached to said first connector; and

said IC card comprises the second connector provided at one short side of said IC card, signal processing means for processing a signal representing said object image, the third connector provided at the other short side of said IC card and transferring image data stored in a small memory card to external apparatus which said IC card is attached to and detached from, the fourth connector which said small memory card is attached to and detached from, and a card housing part on a surface of said IC card, said small memory card being housed in said card housing part.

6. A card-sized electronic still camera which comprises an image pickup unit and an IC card whose one end is integrated with said image pickup unit;

said card-sized electronic still camera wherein;

said image pickup unit has a taking lens and an image pickup element, said image pickup unit transmitting a signal representing an object image captured through said taking lens and said image pickup element to said IC card; and

said IC card comprises signal processing means for processing said signal representing the object image;

the third connector provided at the other end of said IC card and transferring image data stored in a small memory card to external apparatus which said IC card is attached to or detached from;

the fourth connector which said memory card is attached to and detached from; and

a card slot at a side of said IC card where the third connector is not provided, said small memory card being inserted into said card slot.

7. A card-sized electronic still camera which comprises an image pickup unit and an IC card whose one end is integrated with said image pickup unit;

said card-sized electronic still camera wherein;

said image pickup unit has a taking lens and an image pickup element, said image pickup unit transmitting a signal representing an object image captured through said taking lens and said image pickup element to said IC card; and

said IC card comprises signal processing means for processing said signal representing the object image;

the third connector provided at the other end of said IC card and transferring image data stored in a small memory card to external apparatus which said IC card is attached to or detached from;

the fourth connector which said memory card is attached to and detached from; and

a card housing part on a surface of said IC card, said small memory card being housed in said card housing part.

8. An electronic still camera which comprises a camera body and a camera casing which is mounted in a manner to partially or fully cover said camera body and is able to modify an appearance of a camera, said electronic still camera wherein:

said camera casing includes at least a taking lens, an image pickup element, a finder, operation means including a shutter release button, and the first connector outputting an image signal captured through said taking lens and said image pickup element and an operation signal from said operation means; and

said camera body includes at least the second connector connected to said first connector when being mounted in said camera casing, signal processing means for processing said image signal, and control means for recording an image signal in a recording medium, said signal processing means processing said image signal on receipt of the operation signal from said operation means.

9. The electronic still camera as defined in claim 8, wherein said record medium is a built-in memory provided in said camera body, or a memory card which is detachably provided in said camera body.

10. A digital camera which loads, in an image pickup unit, a card unit corresponding to a PC card standard, converts an object image into image data by image pickup means of said image pickup unit, and records said image data into a memory of said card unit, said digital camera wherein:

when said card unit is loaded in said image pickup unit, said card unit is partially exposed from said image pickup unit, and a switch necessary for photographing is provided at the exposed portion of said card unit.

11. The electronic still camera as defined in claim 10, wherein said card unit has a switch necessary for photographing and a switch unnecessary for photographing, said switch unnecessary for photographing being completely inserted and hidden in said imaging unit when said card unit is mounted in said imaging unit.

12. The electronic still camera as defined in claim 10, wherein if said card unit is detached from said image pickup unit, said switch necessary for photographing functions as said switch unnecessary for photographing.

13. The electronic still camera as defined in claim 10, wherein said switch necessary for photographing includes a shutter switch consisting of two touch switches which output an instruction to release a shutter if touched at the same time.

14. A card-sized electronic still camera which is adapted to a PC card standard, and which records, in a memory in a camera body, image data representing an object image captured through a taking lens and an image pickup element when a shutter release instruction is output, said card sized electronic still camera comprising:

a shutter switch composed of two touch switches outputting said shutter release instruction if touched simultaneously.

15. The, electronic still camera as defined in claim 14, wherein said two touch switches are provided at peripheral face and a front or back face of a camera body.

16. The electronic still camera as defined in claim 14, wherein if said two touch switches are touched at the same time, a shutter sound is generated to indicate that the shutter has been released.

17. A card-sized electronic still camera which records, in a recording medium in a camera, an image signal representing an object image captured through a taking tens and an image pickup element, said card-sized electronic still camera wherein:

a casing is formed so that an external surface of said camera can be flat and said camera can be thin, a board shaped like said casing and a sheet battery is provided in said casing.

18. The electronic still camera as defined in claim 17, wherein said sheet-like battery is composed of two sheet-like batteries arranged to hold said board therebetween.

19. The electronic still camera as defined in claim 17, wherein said sheet-like battery is constructed by folding one sheet-like battery in a manner to pinch said board.

20. A card-sized electronic still camera which records, in a recording medium in a camera body, image data representing an object image captured through a taking lens and an image pickup element when a shutter is released, said card-sized electronic still camera wherein:

said camera body is shaped like a PC card inserted into a PC card slot of a personal computer, said camera body being inserted into said PC card slot, thereby transmitting image data to said personal computer; and

said taking lens is arranged in such a way that an optical axis thereof turns in a direction of depth of said camera body, said taking lens being capable of projecting from and retracting into said camera body in order to secure an optical path length for photographing.

21. The electronic still camera as defined in claim 20, wherein said taking lens is composed of the first lens and the second lens, said first lens supported on a pop-up lens being capable of projecting from and retracting into said camera body, said second lens being supported on a slide lens moving between a space formed after said pop-up lens projects from said camera body and a space which said pop-up lens retracts into.

22. An electronic still camera comprising:

a card-sized body formed in a manner to be inserted into a card slot of external information processing apparatus such as a personal computer provided with a connector at a slot thereof, said card-sized body being provided with a connector at a case thereof, which connector is capable of connecting to said connector provided at said slot;

an electronic circuit board built in said body and provided with an image pickup element, an image processing circuit, an image memory, or the like; and

a front board provided with a taking lens and attached to said body in a manner to be folded, said taking lens projecting from said body to enable photographing, said front board being folded into said body so as to house said body in said card slot when said body is inserted into said external information processing apparatus.

23. An electronic still camera comprising:

a card-sized body formed in a manner to be inserted into a card slot of external information processing apparatus such as a personal computer provided with a connector at a slot thereof, said body provided with a connector at a case, said connector being capable of connecting to said connector at the slot;

wherein said body is provided with a taking lens, a finder and an operating button, and an image pickup element, an image processing circuit, an image memory, etc. are built in said body; and

said finder provided in said body composes a part of said card-sized body in a folded state, said finder folded being used for photographing in a state of rising from said body.

24. An electronic still camera comprising:

a card-sized body formed in a manner to be inserted into a card slot of external information processing apparatus such as a personal computer provided with a connector at a slot thereof, said body provided with a connector at a case, said connector being capable of connecting to said connector at the slot;

wherein a taking lens, a finder and an operation button are provided in said body, and an image pickup unit, an image processing circuit, an image memory, etc. are built in said main body; and

said taking lens composes said card-sized body in a folded state, and extends from said body in the folded state to be used for photographing.

25. An electronic still camera which records, in a recording medium in a camera body, image data indicating an object image obtained through a taking lens and an image pickup element on release of a shutter;

said electronic still camera wherein;

said camera body is composed of the first plate portion provided with said taking lens and the second plate portion provided with said image pickup element, said camera body being shaped like a PC card inserted into a PC card slot of a personal computer, in such a way that an optical axis of said camera body turns in a direction of depth of said camera body, said first plate portion is connected to said second plate portion via a hinge member in a manner to be folded; and

said camera body is inserted into a PC card slot, thereby transmitting image data to the personal computer, and said first plate portion and said second plate portion of said camera body are folded so that said taking lens can overlap said image pickup element, thereby enabling photographing and securing an optical path length for photographing.

26. The electronic still camera as defined in claim 25, wherein said first and second plate portions of said camera body are held by a magnet when said first and second plate shaped parts are folded.

27. The electronic still camera as defined in claim 25, wherein an aperture for photographing optical path is respectively formed in said first and second plate portions, said aperture being provided with a lid which opens in association with folding action of said first and second plate portions.

28. The electronic still camera as defined in claim 25, wherein the lens unit is detachably provided in said camera body, said lens unit being mountable in said camera body.

29. An electronic still camera comprising:

a lens unit provided with a taking lens, an optical axis of said taking lens being arranged in a direction of depth of said camera;

a camera body unit provided with an image pickup element, an image processing circuit, etc. and shaped like a PC card, said lens unit being detachably provided in said camera body unit; and

wherein said camera body unit is inserted into external information processing apparatus such as a personal computer, thereby transmitting image data to said external information processing apparatus, and said lens unit is mounted in said camera body unit so as to enable photographing.

30. The electronic still camera as defined in claim 29, wherein said lens unit has the same shape as said camera body unit.

31. The electronic still camera as defined in claim 29, wherein said lens is provided with a strobe and a power source for photographing.