Video camera

• US 5,003,404 A
• Filed: 03/27/1989
• Issued: 03/26/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Nakayama, Tadayoshi, Nakatani, Yoshihiro, Yoshimura, Katsuji
• Primary Examiner(s): Shepperd, John W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Juo, James
• Application Number:
  US07/328,872
• Time in Patent Office: 729 Days
• Field of Search: 358/22, 358/183, 358/909, 358/906, 358/182, 358/210, 358/209, 360/14.1, 360/14.3
• US Class Current: 386/227
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/2621 Cameras specially adapted for the electronic generation of special effects during image pickup, e.g. digital cameras, camcorders, video cameras having integrated special effects capability
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/265 Mixing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/77 between a recording apparatus and a television camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/9205 the additional signal being at least another television signal
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 358/906 Hand-held camera with recorder in a single unit

Abstract

A video camera includes in combination an image sensor, an image memory, a special effect circuit arranged to impart a special effect to the output signal of the image sensor by using the image memory, a selection circuit arranged to select either the output of the image sensor or that of the special effect circuit, and a control circuit which, in response to a pause of an image recording action, causes an image obtained when the pause is made to be stored in the image memory when the output of the special effect circuit is selected by the selection circuit.

Claims

1. A video camera comprising:

(a) image sensing means;

(b) an image memory;

(c) a special effect circuit for imparting a special effect to an output signal of said image sensing means by using said image memory;

(d) selection means for selectively operating said special effect circuit; and

(e) control means for storing an output of said image sensing means in said image memory in response to pausing of an image pickup operation when the special effect circuit is operated.

2. A camera according to claim 1, wherein said special effect includes a wipe effect.

3. A camera according to claim 1, wherein said special effect includes a cross-fade effect.

4. A camera according to claim 1, wherein when said special effect circuit is operated, said control means causes said special effect to be imparted by using an image previously stored by said image memory.

5. A video camera comprising:

(a) image sensing means;

(b) a first memory for storing an output of said image sensing means;

(c) a second memory having a smaller capacity than that of said first memory; and

(d) control means for causing said second memory to store a part of the output of said image sensing means obtained immediately before pausing of storing the output of said image sensing means in said first memory.

6. A camera according to claim 5, wherein said second memory is a field memory or a frame memory.

7. A camera according to claim 5, wherein said first memory includes an analog recording medium.

8. A camera according to claim 5, wherein said control means is arranged to cause said second memory to store one picture of the output of said image sensing means obtained immediately before pausing of storing the output of said image sensing means in said first memory.

9. A camera according to claim 5, further comprising mixing means for mixing the output of said image sensing means stored in said second memory with the output of said image sensing means to be newly stored in said first memory.

10. A camera according to claim 9, wherein said mixing means includes adding means for adding a signal stored in said second memory to a signal output from said image sensing means by attaching weight to said signals.

11. A camera according to claim 10, further comprising weight varying means for varying a quantity of said weight in proportion to the lapse of time.

12. A camera according to claim 9, wherein said mixing means includes means for replacing part of a signal stored in said second memory with a signal output from said image sensing means.