Video signal processing apparatus

• US 5,519,448 A
• Filed: 01/13/1995
• Issued: 05/21/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Takahashi, Koji, Nagasawa, Kenichi, Sato, Chikara
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz, Curtis
• Assistant Examiner(s): HARVEY, MINSUN OH
• Application Number:
  US08/372,879
• Time in Patent Office: 494 Days
• Field of Search: 348/155, 348/578, 348/559, 358/335, 358/444, 360/10.1
• US Class Current: 348/559
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/4448 for frame-grabbing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/772 the recording apparatus and the television camera being placed in the same enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/9202 the additional signal being a sound signal H04N5/9155, H04N5/92 take precedence

Abstract

A video signal processing apparatus provided with a signal processing circuit including a memory capable of storing inputted video signals of one frame. In response to an operation of a manually operable freeze key, writing the video signals to the memory is inhibited, and reading the video signals from the memory is continuously performed. In response to a continuous operation of the freeze key in excess of a predetermined time period, the video signals of one frame are periodically written to the memory, and the video signals in the memory are continuously read. Various special effects can be given to images upon an operation of the single freeze key.

Claims

1. A video signal processing apparatus, comprising:

(a) a signal processing circuit including a memory capable of storing one picture portion of a video signal;

(b) a manually operable freeze key; and

(c) control means for controlling a processing operation of said signal processing circuit upon a manual operation of said manually operable freeze key, said control means responsive to the manual operation of said manually operable freeze key, inhibiting to write the video signal to said memory and allowing to repeatedly read one picture portion of the video signal from said memory, and said control means responsive to a continuous operation of said manually operable freeze key in excess of a period of a first predetermined time, allowing to periodically write one picture portion of the video signal to said memory at an interval of a second predetermined time and to repeatedly read one picture portion of the video signal from said memory, the first predetermined time and the second predetermined time being individually determined.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

image pickup means for generating the video signal from an optical image; and

recording means for recording the video signal on a recording medium,

wherein the video signal from said image pickup means is inputted to said signal processing circuit, and the video signal outputted from said signal processing circuit is supplied to said recording means.

3. An apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising:

reproducing means for reproducing the video signal from said recording medium,

wherein the video signal from said reproducing means is further inputted to said signal processing circuit.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said signal processing circuit allows both to repeatedly write one picture portion of the video signal into said memory and to repeatedly read one picture portion of the video signal from said memory.

5. A video signal processing device, comprising:

(a) a manually operable freeze key;

(b) a signal processing circuit for processing a video signal, said signal processing circuit responsive to an operation of said manually operable freeze key, being capable of taking a freeze mode wherein one picture portion of the video signal is repeatedly read; and

(c) updating means for periodically updating one picture portion of the video signal repeatedly outputted from said signal processing circuit at an interval of a second predetermined time in response to a continuous operation of said manually operable freeze key in excess of a period of a first predetermined time while said signal processing circuit takes the freeze mode, the first predetermined time and the second predetermined time being individually determined.

6. A device according to claim 5, wherein said signal processing circuit is adapted to directly output the video signal.

7. A video signal processing device, comprising:

(a) a signal processing circuit for processing a video signal, said signal processing circuit being capable of taking one of a first mode, a second mode and a third mode, in the first mode all picture portions of the video signal being outputted, in the second mode one picture portion of the video signal being repeatedly outputted, and in the third mode one picture portion of the video signal updated at an interval of a second predetermined time being repeatedly outputted;

(b) a manually operable freeze key; and

(c) control means for changing modes of said signal processing circuit in response to an operation of said manually operable freeze key, said signal processing circuit responsive to an operation of said manually operable freeze key, changing from the first mode to the second mode, and said signal processing circuit responsive to a continuous operation of said manually operable freeze key in excess of a period of a first predetermined time, changing from the second mode to the third mode, the first predetermined time and the second predetermined time being individually determined.

8. A video signal processing apparatus, comprising:

(a) a signal processing circuit for processing a video signal, said signal processing circuit being capable of taking a freeze mode whereby one picture portion of the video signal is repeatedly outputted;

(b) recording means for recording the video signal from said signal processing circuit on a recording medium, said recording means being capable of taking an interval record mode whereby the video signal is recorded at an interval of a predetermined time for only a part of the predetermined time; and

(c) updating means for updating one picture portion of the video signal outputted from said signal processing circuit at an interval of the predetermined time, when said signal processing circuit takes the freeze mode and said recording means takes the interval record mode.

9. An apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising image pickup means for generating the video signal from an optical image, wherein said signal processing circuit is inputted with the video signal from said image pickup means.

10. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said signal processing circuit is adapted to output the video signal without processing.

11. A video signal processing apparatus, comprising:

(a) a signal processing circuit including a memory capable of storing one picture portion of a video signal, said signal processing circuit being capable of taking a freeze mode whereby said signal processing circuit inhibits to write the video signal to said memory and allows to repeatedly read one picture portion of the video signal from said memory;

(b) recording means for recording the video signal outputted from said signal processing circuit on a recording medium, said recording means being capable of taking an interval record mode whereby the video signal is recorded at an interval of a predetermined time for only a part of the predetermined time; and

(c) control means for controlling to write the video signal to said memory at an interval of the predetermined time, when said signal processing circuit takes the freeze mode and said recording means takes the interval record mode.

12. A video signal processing apparatus, comprising:

(a) a signal processing circuit including a memory capable of storing one picture portion of a video signal;

(b) a manually operable freeze key; and

(c) control means for controlling a processing operation of said signal processing circuit upon a manual operation of said manually operable freeze key, said control means responsive to the manual operation of said manually operable freeze key, inhibiting to write the video signal to said memory and allowing to repeatedly read one picture portion of the video signal from said memory, said control means responsive to a continuous operation of said freeze key in excess of a predetermined time period, starting a periodic operation to periodically write one picture portion of the video signal to said memory and to repeatedly read one picture portion of the video signal from said memory, and said control means being able to continue said periodic operation irrespective of a manual operation of said manually operable freeze key.

13. An apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising a manually operable clear key, wherein said control means stops the periodic operation in response to a manual operation of said manually operable clear key.

14. A video signal processing device, comprising:

(a) a manually operable freeze key;

(b) a signal processing circuit for processing a video signal, said signal processing circuit responsive to an operation of said manually operable freeze key, being capable of taking a freeze mode wherein one picture portion of the video signal is repeatedly read; and

(c) updating means for periodically updating one picture portion of the video signal repeatedly outputted from said signal processing circuit at an interval of a second predetermined time in response to a continuous operation of said manually operable freeze key in excess of an interval of a first predetermined time while said signal processing circuit takes the freeze mode, said updating means being able to continue an operation of periodically updating one picture portion of the video signal irrespective of a manual operation of said manually operable freeze key.

15. An apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising a manually operable clear key, said updating means stopping the operation of periodically updating in response to a manual operation of said manually operable clear key.

16. A video signal processing apparatus, comprising:

(a) a signal processing circuit including a memory capable of storing one picture portion of a video signal;

(b) a manually operable freeze key;

(c) measuring means for measuring an elapsed time from starting a manual operation of said manually operable freeze key, said measuring means outputting a command when the elapsed time reaches a predetermined time; and

(d) control means for controlling a processing operation of said signal processing circuit, said control means responsive to starting the manual operation of said manually operable freeze key, inhibiting to write the video signal to said memory and allowing to repeatedly read one picture portion of the video signal from said memory, said control means starting a periodic operation to periodically write one picture portion of the video signal to said memory and to repeatedly read one picture portion of the video signal from said memory in response to the command from said measuring means.

17. A video signal processing device, comprising:

(a) a manually operable freeze key;

(b) measuring means for measuring an elapsed time from starting a manual operation of said manually operable freeze key, said measuring means outputting a command when the elapsed time reaches a predetermined time; and

(c) a signal processing circuit for processing a video signal, said signal processing circuit responsive to starting the manual operation of said manually operable freeze key, being capable of taking a freeze mode wherein one picture portion of the video signal is repeatedly read; and

(d) updating means for periodically updating one picture portion of the video signal repeatedly outputted from said signal processing circuit at an interval of a second predetermined time in response to the command from said measuring means.

18. A video signal processing device, comprising:

(a) a signal processing circuit for processing a video signal, said signal processing circuit being capable of taking one of a first mode, a second mode and a third mode, in the first mode all picture portions of the video signal being outputted, in the second mode one picture portion of the video signal being repeatedly outputted, and in the third mode one picture portion of the video signal being repeatedly outputted;

(b) a manually operable freeze key;

(c) measuring means for measuring an elapsed time from starting a manual operation of said manually operable freeze key, said measuring means outputting a command when the elapsed time reaches a predetermined time; and

(d) control means for changing the modes of said signal processing circuit, said signal processing circuit responsive to starting the manual operation of said manually operable freeze key, changing from the first mode to the second mode, and said signal processing circuit responsive to the command from said measuring means, changing from the second mode to said the mode.

19. A video signal processing apparatus, comprising:

(a) a signal processing means including a memory capable of storing one picture of a video signal and updating the one picture of the video signal stored in said memory at a period of a first time, said signal processing means being capable of repeatedly reading out the one video signal from said memory and repeatedly outputting the one picture of the video signal at a period of a second time shorter than said first time; and

(b) recording means for recording the video signal outputted from said signal processing means on a recording medium, said recording means being capable of operating in an interval record mode having a time period associated with said first time, including a time period during which the video signal from said signal processing means is recorded and a time period during which the video signal is not recorded.