Portable electronic still camera recording optical images of subjects in a memory which facilitates memory access from an external request

• US 5,539,535 A
• Filed: 03/22/1994
• Issued: 07/23/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Wakabayashi, Manabu, Itoh, Shigeyuki, Aizawa, Iwao
• Primary Examiner(s): Rogers, Scott A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Williams, Kimberly A.
• Application Number:
  US08/215,625
• Time in Patent Office: 854 Days
• Field of Search: 358/443, 358/468, 358/409, 358/410, 358/444, 358/434, 358/435, 358/438, 358/439, 358/909.1, 358/404, 358/906, 364/242.3, 364/242.31, 364/242.32, 364/242.34, 364/238.4, 348/552, 348/207
• US Class Current: 358/468
• 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 1/00541 with detachable image reading apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00925 Inhibiting an operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00973 from a remote device, e.g. receiving via the internet instructions input to a computer terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2112 using still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0015 Control of image communication with the connected apparatus, e.g. signalling capability
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0048 Type of connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0049 By wire, cable or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0074 Arrangements for the control of a still picture apparatus by the connected apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0077 Types of the still picture apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/214 Checking or indicating the storage space
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3298 Checking or indicating the storage space
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 358/906 Hand-held camera with recorder in a single unit

Abstract

An imaging and recording apparatus for electrically recording an optical image of a subject as an image information signal which facilitates memory access from an external device and prevents image information from being changed. Upon manipulation of a recording trigger switch, an image outputted from a camera signal processing circuit at that time is written into a semiconductor memory, then subjected to data compression in a data compression circuit, and stored in a semiconductor memory. It is now assumed that an external device not illustrated is connected to a connector and this external device orders taking in the image of the semiconductor memory. If at this time the semiconductor memory is writing an image, a state detection circuit detects the fact and inhibits the external device from taking in the image. Furthermore, while the external device is taking in the image of the semiconductor memory, the state detection circuit detects this fact. Even if the recording trigger switch is manipulated, an AND gate turns off in response to an output of the state detection circuit and inhibits image writing into the semiconductor memory.

Claims

1. A portable electronic still camera including an imaging means for effecting photoelectric conversion on an optical image and generating an electric two-dimensional image information signal, a memory for storing said two-dimensional image information signal, an operation start commanding means for commanding an operation start, and a control means responsive to an operation start command given from said operation start commanding means to store, in said memory, a two-dimensional image information signal corresponding to one sheet of picture generated in said imaging means by an internal data access of said memory internally of said portable electronic still camera, said portable electronic still camera comprising:

a connector for connection to an external device;

a changeover means for selecting either an external data access for accessing said memory externally of said portable electronic still camera by the external device via said connector or said internal data access;

a state detection means for detecting a first state representing said external data access being in a ready state or an execution state; and

an inhibition means responsive to detection of said first state performed by said state detection means, to inhibit said changeover means from changing over to said internal data access.

2. A portable electronic still camera according to claim 1, wherein said state detection means detects said first state from a command signal entered externally through said connector.

3. A portable electronic still camera according to claim 1, wherein said operation start commanding means comprises a switch having an open/close manipulation portion on said portable electronic still camera.

4. A portable electronic still camera according to claim 1, wherein

said memory has a plurality of memory areas each for storing at least said two-dimensional image information signal corresponding to one sheet of picture, said plurality of memory areas allowing separate execution of said internal data access, and

even when one of a plurality of said memory areas is in said first state, other memory areas are capable of storing two-dimensional image information signal in response to said operation start command as a further said internal data access.

5. A portable electronic still camera according to claim 1, further comprising an apparatus armor having a polyhedron, terminals of said connector being exposed on a side surface of said apparatus armor facing toward a direction different from an incidence direction of said optical image.

7. A portable electronic still camera according to claim 2, wherein said changeover means changes over from said internal data access to said external data access, in response to a command signal entered externally through said connector.

6. A portable electronic still camera including an imaging means for effecting photoelectric conversion on an optical image and generating an electric two-dimensional image information signal, a memory for storing said two-dimensional image information signal, an operation start commanding means for commanding an operation start, and control means responsive to an operation start command given from said operation start commanding means to store, in said memory, a two-dimensional image information signal corresponding to one sheet of picture generated in said imaging means by an internal data access of said memory internally of said portable electronic still camera, said portable electronic still camera comprising:

a connector for connection to an external device;

a changeover means for changing over from said internal data access to an external data access for accessing said memory externally of said portable electronic still camera by said external device through said connector;

a state detection means for detecting a second state, said second state representing said internal data access being in a ready state or an execution state; and

an inhibition means responsive to detection of said second state performed by said state detection means, to inhibit said changeover means from changing over to said external data access.

8. A portable electronic still camera including an imaging means for performing photoelectric conversion on an optical image and generating an electric two-dimensional image information signal, a memory for storing said two-dimensional image information signal, an operation start commanding means for commanding an operation start, and control means responsive to an operation start command provided from said operation start commanding means to store, in said memory, a two-dimensional image information signal corresponding to one sheet of picture generated in said imaging means by an internal access of said memory internally of said portable electronic still camera, said portable electronic still camera comprising:

a connector for connection to an external device;

a changeover means for selecting either an external data access for accessing said memory externally of said portable electronic still camera by the external device via said connector or said internal data access;

a connection detecting means for detecting a connection between said connector and an external connector and providing an output indicative thereof;

a state detection means for detecting from said output of said connection detecting means a first state representing said external data access being in a ready state or an execution state; and

an inhibition means responsive to said first state, for preventing said changeover means from changing over to said internal data access and for preventing a two-dimensional image information signal generated by said imaging means from passing to said external device via said connector.

9. A portable electronic still camera according to claim 8, wherein said output of said connection detecting means is an electrical signal.

14. A portable electronic still camera according to claim 9, wherein said changeover means changes over from said internal data access to said external data access for, in response to a command signal entered externally through said input/output unit, and said first state detection means detects said first state from a command signal entered externally through said input/output unit.

10. A portable electronic still camera including an imaging means for effecting photoelectric conversion on an optical image and generating an electric two-dimensional image information signal, a memory for storing said two-dimensional image information signal, an operation start commanding means for commanding an operation start, and a control means responsive to an operation start command given from said operation start commanding means to store, in said memory, a two-dimensional image information signal corresponding to one sheet of picture generated in said imaging means by an internal data access of said memory internally of said portable electronic still camera, said portable electronic still camera comprising:

a connector for connection to an external device;

a changeover means for changing over from said internal data access to an external data access for accessing said memory by said external device through said connector, in response to a command signal entered externally of said portable electronic still camera through said connector;

a first state detection means for detecting a first state representing said external data access being in a ready state or execution state;

a second state detection means for detecting a second state representing said internal data access; and

an inhibition means responsive to detection of said first state performed by said first state detection means, to inhibit said changeover means from changing over to said internal data access, said inhibition means being responsive to detection of said second state performed by said second state detection means, to inhibit said changeover means from changing over to said external data access.

11. A portable electronic still camera according to claim 10, wherein a detection output signal in said second state can be outputted from said connector.

12. A portable electronic still camera according to claim 10, wherein said first state detection means detects said first state from a command signal entered externally through said connector.

13. A portable electronic still camera including an imaging means for effecting photoelectric conversion on an optical image and generating an electric two-dimensional image information signal, a memory for storing said two-dimensional image information signal, an operation start commanding means for commanding an operation start, and a control means responsive to an operation start command given from said operation start commanding means to store, in said memory, a two-dimensional image information signal corresponding to one sheet of picture generated in said imaging means by an internal data access of said memory internally of said portable electronic still camera, said portable electronic still camera comprising:

an input/output unit;

a changeover means for changing over from said internal data access to an external data access for accessing said memory of said portable electronic still camera by an external device through said input/output unit;

a first state detection means for detecting a first state representing said external data access being in a ready state or execution state;

a second state detection means for detecting a second state representing said internal data access; and

an inhibition means responsive to detection of said first state performed by said first state detection means, to inhibit said changeover means from changing over to said internal data access, said inhibition means being responsive to detection of said second state performed by said second state detection means, to inhibit said changeover means from changing over to said external data access.

15. A portable electronic camera including an imaging means for effecting photoelectric conversion on an optical image and generating an electric two-dimensional image information signal, a memory for storing said two-dimensional image information signal, an operation start commanding means for commanding an operation start, and control means responsive to an operation start command given from said operation start commanding means to store, in said memory, a two-dimensional image information signal generated in said imaging means by an internal data access of said memory internally of said portable electronic camera, said portable electronic camera comprising:

an input/output unit;

a connection detector to detect a communication between said input/output unit and an external device to generate an electric signal;

changeover means for changing over from said internal data access to an external data access for accessing said memory externally of said portable electronic camera by said external device through said input/output unit, in response to said electric signal of said connection detector;

a state-detector to detect said internal data access being in a ready state or an execution state; and

inhibition means responsive to said state-detector, to inhibit said changeover means from changing over to said external data access.

16. A portable electronic camera according to claim 15, wherein said input/output unit includes a connector.

17. A portable electronic camera according to claim 15, wherein said connection detector detects at least one of a mechanical and nonmechanical communication between the input/output unit and the external device.

18. A portable electronic camera according to claim 17, wherein said connection detector detects as the nonmechanical communication an electrical connection.

19. A portable electronic camera including an imaging means for effecting photoelectric conversion on an optical image and generating an electric two-dimensional image information signal, a memory for storing said two-dimensional image information signal, an operation start commanding means for commanding an operation start, and a control means responsive to an operation start command given from said operation start commanding means to store, in said memory, a two-dimensional image information signal generated in said imaging means by an internal data access of said memory internally of said portable electronic camera, said portable electronic camera comprising:

an input/output unit;

changeover means for selecting either an external data access for accessing said memory externally of said portable electronic camera by an external device through said input/output unit or said internal data access, in response to a command signal entered externally through said input/output unit;

a detector to detect communication between said input/output unit and said external device to generate an electric signal;

a state-detector to detect said external data access being in a ready or execution state; and

inhibition means responsive to said state-detector, to inhibit said changeover means from changing over to said internal data access.

20. A portable electronic camera according to claim 19, wherein said input/output unit includes a connector.

21. A portable electronic camera according to claim 19, wherein said connection detector detects at least one of a mechanical and nonmechanical communication between the input/output unit and the external device.

22. A portable electronic camera according to claim 21, wherein said connection detector detects as the nonmechanical communication an electrical connection.