Method and system for processing DOS information within a digital still camera

• US 5,640,204 A
• Filed: 04/17/1996
• Issued: 06/17/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Tsutsui, Satoru
• Primary Examiner(s): HSIA, SHERRIE Y
• Application Number:
  US08/633,950
• Time in Patent Office: 426 Days
• Field of Search: 348/222, 348/231, 348/232, 348/233, 358/909.1, 358/906
• US Class Current: 348/231.3
• 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 2201/33378 Type or format of data, e.g. colour or B/W, halftone or binary, computer image file or facsimile data
• 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

Abstract

A digital camera which captures images and converts the images to a digital form. The digital form of the images is compressed and written into a memory card along with Disk Operating System (DOS) information describing the memory card and files including bios parameters, File Allocation Table (FAT) information, and directory information. When the DOS information within the memory card needs to be changed, the FAT information of the memory card and only a portion of the directory information is read and transferred to a memory within the camera. The directory information which has been loaded into the camera is checked to determine if it is the necessary directory information. If it is not, further directory information is loaded into the memory of the camera. After editing of the FAT and directory information, the edited information is written back into the memory card.

Claims

1. A digital camera, comprising:

an image photographing unit for receiving images and converting the images into analog signals;

a converting unit for converting the analog signals into digital signals representing the images;

a first memory for storing the digital signals representing the images and Disk Operating System (DOS) information corresponding to the images and having a first storage capacity of the DOS information;

an interface for controlling transferring of data into and out of the first memory;

a controlling unit for controlling operation of the digital camera; and

a second memory for storing only a portion of the DOS information stored in the first memory and having a second storage capacity for the DOS information which is less than the first storage capacity.

2. A digital cameral according to claim 1, wherein:

the first memory stores file allocation table (FAT) information of the images stored in the first memory and directory information of the images; and

the interface includes means for transferring the FAT information and only a portion of the directory information from the first memory to the second memory.

3. A digital camera according to claim 2, further comprising:

means for determining if desired directory information has been transferred to the second memory by the means for transferring within the interface;

means for editing the FAT information;

means for transferring additional directory information from the first memory to the second memory and writing over the directory information which was previously stored in the second memory; and

means for editing the directory information stored in the second memory,

wherein the interface further includes means for transferring the FAT information which has been edited and the directory information which has been edited from the second memory to the first memory.

4. A digital camera according to claim 1, further comprising:

a data processing unit for compressing and encoding the digital signals representing the images generated by the converting unit and transferring the digital signals which have been compressed and encoded to the first memory through the interface.

5. A method for processing digital signals representing images, comprising the steps of:

storing directory information and file allocation table (FAT) information of image in a first memory connected to a digital camera;

transferring the FAT information and a first portion of the directory information to a second memory in the digital camera;

determining if desired directory information has been transferred to the second memory;

transferring a second portion of the directory information from the first memory to the second memory when the step of determining determines the desired directory information has not been transferred to the second memory;

editing the directory information which is stored in the second memory; and

transferring the directory information which has been edited to the first memory.

6. A method according to claim 5, further comprising the step of:

capturing the images using a light sensitive device,

wherein the storing step include writing the images which have been captured, the directory information, and the FAT information into the first memory.