Digital electronic camera apparatus for recording still video images and motion video images

• US 5,444,483 A
• Filed: 02/25/1994
• Issued: 08/22/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Maeda, Eiichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Kostak, Victor R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HSIA, SHERRIE Y
• Application Number:
  US08/202,235
• Time in Patent Office: 543 Days
• Field of Search: 348/239, 348/222, 348/220, 348/231, 358/909.1, 358/906, 358/180
• US Class Current: 348/231.6
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2112 using still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/212 Motion video recording combined with still video recording television signal recording H04N5/76
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2137 with temporary storage before final recording, e.g. in a frame buffer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2158 using a detachable storage unit
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/772 the recording apparatus and the television camera being placed in the same enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/907 using static stores, e.g. storage tubes or semiconductor memories H04N5/91 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/9261 involving data reduction

Abstract

A digital electronic camera apparatus which features an image pickup for picking up an image optically and converting the picked up optical image to an analog signal. An analog/digital converter converts the analog signal to a digital signal, and a digital processor converts the digital signal to a luminance signal and color difference signals. A first memory stores a frame of the luminance signal and the color difference signals, or a frame of the digital signal output from the analog/digital converter. A second memory stores n, where n is an integer, lines of the luminance signal and the color difference signals. A third memory stores a block n×n signal from the luminance signal and the color difference signals which are in the line memory, or which are output from the digital processor means. A compressing circuit compresses the signal from the third memory. A recording device records the signal from the compressing circuit in a recording media. In accordance with the present invention, a digital electronic camera apparatus which compresses a video signal and records a greater amount of the video signal in a recording media in case of motion video and still video can be achieved.

Claims

1. A digital electronic camera apparatus which records a still video and a motion video, comprising:

image pickup means for picking up an image optically and converting the picked up optical image to a first analog signal;

analog/digital converting means for converting the first analog signal to an output digital signal;

digital processing means for converting the output digital signal to a luminance signal and color difference signals;

first memory means for storing a frame of the luminance signal and the color difference signals from the digital processing means, or a frame of the digital signal output from the analog/digital converting means;

second memory means for storing n, where n is an integer, lines of the luminance signal and the color difference signals;

third memory means for storing a block n×

n signal from the luminance signal and the color difference signals which are stored in the second memory means, or which are output from the digital processing means;

compressing means for compressing the block n×

n signal from the third memory means to generate a compressed signal; and

recording means for recording the compressed signal from the compressing means in a recording media to generate a recorded signal.

2. The digital electronic camera apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

reproducing means for reproducing the recorded signal from the recording media;

converting means for converting the reproduced recorded signal as inversely processed in the compressing means, the third memory means and the second memory means respectively, to generate a digital composite video signal;

digital/analog converting means for converting the digital composite video signal from the converting means to a second analog signal; and

outputting means for outputting the second analog signal to an image reproducing means.

3. The digital electronic camera apparatus of claim 1, wherein a part of the first memory means is used for the second memory means.

4. The digital electronic camera apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the first memory means stores a frame of the luminance signal and the color difference signals from the digital processing means in a case of recording the motion video and the first memory means stores a frame of the digital signal which is outputted from the analog/digital converting means in a case of recording the still video;

the second memory means stores the n lines of the luminance signal and the color difference signals in the case of recording the motion video; and

the third memory means stores the block n×

n signal from the luminance signal and the color difference signals which are in the second memory means in the case of recording the motion video and which are output from the digital processing means in the case of recording the still video.

5. The digital electronic camera apparatus of claim 1, further comprising means for executing a difference signal between two consecutive frames stored in the first memory means in the case of recording the motion video, and wherein the difference signal is compressed and recorded in the recording media.

6. The digital electronic camera apparatus of claim 1, wherein a clock signal in the digital processing means in the case of recording the still video is slower than that in the case of recording the motion video.

7. The digital electronic camera apparatus of claim 1, wherein the image pickup means is a pixel mixing type and pixel mixing is not executed in the case of recording the still video.

8. The digital electronic camera apparatus of claim 1, wherein n=8.

9. A digital electronic camera apparatus which records a still video and a motion video, comprising:

image pickup device for picking up an image optically and converting the picked up optical image to a first analog signal;

an analog/digital converter for converting the first analog signal to an output digital signal;

a digital processor for converting the output digital signal to a luminance signal and color difference signals;

a frame memory for storing a frame of the luminance signal and the color difference signals from the digital processor, or a frame of the digital signal output from the analog/digital converter;

a line memory for storing n, where n is an integer, lines of the luminance signal and the color difference signals;

a buffer memory for storing a block n×

n signal from the luminance signal and the color difference signals which are in the line memory, or which are output from the digital processor;

a compressor for compressing the block n×

n signal from the buffer memory to generate a compressed signal; and

a recorder for recording the compressed signal from the compressor in a recording media to generate a recorded signal.

10. The digital electronic camera apparatus of claim 9, further comprising:

a reproducer for reproducing the recorded signal recorded in the recording media;

a converter for converting the reproduced recorded signal as inversely converted in the compressor, the buffer memory and the line memory respectively, to generate a composite digital video signal;

a digital/analog converter for converting the digital composite video signal from the converter to a second analog signal; and

an outputting device for outputting the second analog signal to an image reproducing device.

11. A digital electronic camera apparatus which records a still video and a motion video, comprising:

an image pickup device for picking up an image optically and converting the picked up optical image to a first analog signal;

an analog/digital converter for converting the first analog signal to an output digital signal;

a digital processor for converting the output digital signal to a luminance signal and at least one color difference signal;

a first memory for storing a frame of the luminance signal and the at least one color difference signal from the digital processor, or a frame of the digital signal output from the analog/digital converter;

a second memory for storing n, where n is an integer, lines of the luminance signal and the at least one color difference signal;

a third memory for storing the luminance signal and the at least one color difference signal which are stored in the second memory, or which are output from the digital processor;

a compressor for compressing the stored luminance and at least one color difference signals from the third memory to generate a compressed signal; and

a recorder for recording the compressed signal from the compressor in a recording media to generate a recorded signal.

12. The digital electronic camera apparatus of claim 11, further comprising:

a reproducer for reproducing the recorded signal recorded in the recording media;

a converter for converting the reproduced recorded signal as inversely converted in the compressor, the third memory and the second memory respectively, to generate a digital composite video signal;

a digital/analog converter for converting the digital composite video signal from the converter to a second analog signal; and

an outputting device for outputting the second analog signal to an image reproducing device.

13. The digital electronic camera apparatus of claim 11, wherein:

the first memory stores a frame of the luminance signal and the at least one color difference signal from the digital processor in the case of recording the motion video and a frame of the digital signal output from the analog/digital converter in the case of recording the still video;

the second memory stores the n lines of the luminance signal and the at least one color difference signal in the case of recording the motion video; and

the third memory stores the luminance signal and the at least one color difference signal which are in the second memory in the case of recording the motion video and which are output from the digital processor in the case of recording the still video.