Image data recording system including memory card

• US 5,475,539 A
• Filed: 06/07/1994
• Issued: 12/12/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/1987
• Status: Expired

• Current Assignee: Casio Computer Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Casio Computer Company Limited
• Inventors: Orii, Masaharu
• Primary Examiner(s): Pslios, Aristotelis
• Assistant Examiner(s): KAPADIA, VARSHA A
• Application Number:
  US08/255,121
• Time in Patent Office: 553 Days
• Field of Search: 360/35.1, 360/33.1, 358/310, 358/335, 358/906, 358/909
• US Class Current: 386/200
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2112 using still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2158 using a detachable storage unit
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0077 Types of the still picture apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/77 between a recording apparatus and a television camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/804 involving pulse code modulation of the colour picture signal components
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/81 the individual colour picture signal components being recorded sequentially only

Abstract

An electronic video data recording system includes a camera apparatus for photoelectric-converting an incident optical image into electronic image data; a memory card detachably mounted on the camera apparatus and containing a random access memory to store the electronic image data; and a video tape recorder or other outside storage device for recording the image data which have been previously stored in the random access memory of the detachable memory card, the image data being supplied from the memory card through the camera apparatus. When taking the image, the detachable memory card is mounted on the camera apparatus so as to store the image data into the random access memory thereof. When the image data stored in the detachable memory card are recorded, they are transferred from the memory card into the video tape recorder, via the camera apparatus. The detachable memory card can then be re-used.

Claims

1. A video data recording system, comprising:

a still camera including optical means for forming an optical image on a predetermined plane in a housing of said still camera, image data processing means for receiving said optical image as a still image and for producing electronic image data representative of said still image, and still image data storing means for storing a limited number of electronic image data each representing an independent still image supplied from said image data processing means;

video data storage means provided outside of said housing of said still camera for storing a large number of electronic image data each representing an independent still image; and

control means coupled to said still image data storing means provided in said still camera and to said video data storage means provided outside of said still camera, and including means for repeatedly transferring one of said limited number of electronic image data stored in said still image data storing means to said video data storage means for a predetermined time period, and means for causing said video data storage means to store said repeatedly transferred electronic image data, such that said repeatedly transferred electronic image data stored in said video data storage means is used for reproducing as a still image for the predetermined time period.

2. The video data recording system according to claim 1, wherein said still image data storing means includes detachable memory means for storing a limited number of the electronic image data, said detachable memory means being mountable to the housing of the still camera so as to be electrically coupled to said control means and to said video data storage means.

3. The video data recording system according to claim 2, wherein said detachable memory means includes a detachable semiconductor memory means.

4. The video data recording system according to claim 1, wherein said video data storage means comprises a magnetic storage means.

5. A video data recording system, comprising:

housing means;

optical means arranged at least partly in said housing means for forming an optical image on a predetermined plane in said housing means;

image data processing means arranged in said housing means for receiving said optical image as a still image and for producing electronic image data representative of said still image;

a detachable semiconductor memory card mounted to said housing means and electrically coupled to said image data processing means when mounted to said housing means, for storing a limited plural number of independent electronic image data supplied from said image data processing means;

output terminal means arranged on said housing means and coupled to said detachable semiconductor memory card for outputting said electronic image data derived from said detachable semiconductor memory card when said detachable memory card is mounted to said housing means;

control means arranged in said housing means for controlling a writing operation and a reading operation of said electronic image data to and from said detachable semiconductor memory card;

video data storage means provided outside of said housing means and coupled to said output terminal means, for storing a large number of independent image data representative of still images, said large number being substantially greater than said limited number;

said control means including transferring means for repeatedly transferring to said output terminal means at least one of said electronic image data for a predetermined time period, each electronic image data being representative of the still image stored in said detachable semiconductor memory card; and

said video data storage means including magnetic recording means for recording magnetically said repeatedly transferred electronic image data from said output terminal means and means for reproducing said same electronic image data of said same still image stored in said video data storage means as a still image for the predetermined time period.

6. A video data recording system, comprising:

still image data storing means for storing a limited number of digital image data each representing an independent still image;

video data storage means for storing a large number of digital image data each representing an independent still image, said large number being substantially greater than said limited number, and including magnetic recording means for recording magnetically said large number of digital image data; and

control means coupled to said still image data storing means and to said video data storage means for repeatedly transferring digital image data stored in said still image data storing means to said video data storage means for a predetermined time period and for causing said video data storage means to store said transferred digital image data, such that said transferred digital image data stored in said video data storage means is used for reproducing as a still image for the predetermined time period; and

wherein said still image data storing means includes a detachable semiconductor memory card for storing a limited plural number of the digital image data, said detachable semiconductor memory card being mountable to a housing of the video data recording system so as to be electrically coupled to said control means and to said video data storage means when said detachable semiconductor memory card is mounted to the housing.

7. A video data recording system, comprising:

still image data storing means for storing a limited number of digital image data each representing an independent still image;

video data storage means for storing a large number of digital image data each representing an independent still image, said large number being substantially greater than said limited number, and including magnetic recording means for recording magnetically said large number of digital image data; and

control means coupled to said still image data storing means and to said video data storage means for repeatedly transferring at least one of said limited number of digital image data stored in said still image data storing means to said video data storage means for a predetermined time period, said control means including means for causing said video data storage means to store said transferred digital image data; and

wherein said still image data storing means includes a detachable semiconductor memory card for storing a limited plural number of the digital image data, said detachable semiconductor memory card being mountable to a housing of the video data recording system so as to be electrically coupled to said control means and to said video data storage means when said detachable semiconductor memory card is mounted to the housing.

8. A still camera capable of being coupled to a video data storage means provided outside of a housing of said still camera for storing a large number of electronic image data, each representing a still image, said still camera comprising:

optical means for forming an optical image on a predetermined plane in the housing of said still camera;

image data processing means for receiving said optical image as a still image and for producing electronic image data representative of said still image;

still image data storing means for storing a limited number of electronic image data each representing an independent still image supplied from said image data processing means; and

control means coupled to said still image data storing means and to said video data storage means, and including means for repeatedly transferring one of said limited number of electronic image data stored in said still image data storing means to said video data storage means for a time period to store said repeatedly transferred electronic image data, such that said repeatedly transferred electronic image data stored in said video data storage means is used for reproducing as a still image for said time period.

9. The still camera according to claim 8, wherein said still image data storing means includes detachable memory means for storing a limited number of the electronic image data, said detachable memory means being mountable to the housing of the still camera so as to be electrically coupled to said control means and to said video data storage means when said detachable memory means is mounted to said housing.

10. The still camera according to claim 9, wherein said detachable memory means includes a detachable semiconductor memory means.

11. A still camera capable of being coupled to a video data storage means provided outside of a housing of said still camera including magnetic recording means for recording magnetically a large number of electronic image data, each representing a still image, said still camera comprising:

optical means for forming an optical image on a predetermined plane in the housing of said still camera;

image data processing means for receiving said optical image as a still image and for producing electronic image data representative of said still image;

a detachable semiconductor memory card mounted to said housing and electronically coupled to said image data processing means when mounted to said housing means, for storing a limited plural number of electronic image data each representing an independent still image supplied from said image data processing means, said large number being substantially greater than said limited number; and

control means coupled to said detachable semiconductor memory card and to said video data storage means, and including means for repeatedly transferring for a predetermined time period one of said limited number of electronic image data stored in said detachable semiconductor memory card to said video data storage means to store said transferred electronic image data, such that said repeatedly transferred electronic image data stored in said video data storage means is used for reproducing as a still image for the predetermined time period.

12. A still camera capable of being coupled to a video data storage means provided outside of a housing of said still camera for storing a large number of electronic image data, each representing a still image, said still camera comprising:

housing means;

optical means arranged at least partly in said housing means for forming an optical image on a predetermined plane in said housing means;

image data processing means arranged in said housing for receiving said optical image as a still image and for producing electronic image data representative of said still image;

a detachable semiconductor memory card mounted to said housing and electrically coupled to said image data processing means when mounted to said housing, for storing a limited plural number of independent electronic image data supplied from said image data processing means, said large number being substantially greater than said limited number;

output terminal means arranged on said housing means and coupled to said detachable semiconductor memory card for outputting said electronic image data derived from said detachable semiconductor memory card when said detachable semiconductor memory card is mounted to said housing; and

control means arranged in said housing for controlling a writing operation and a reading operation of said electronic image data to and from said detachable semiconductor memory card, and including transferring means for repeatedly transferring for a predetermined time period to said output terminal means at least one of said electronic image data each being representative of the still image stored in said detachable semiconductor memory card; and

wherein said video data storage means includes magnetic recording means for magnetically storing said repeatedly transferred electronic image data from said output terminal means, and means for reproducing said electronic image data as a still image for the predetermined time period.