Still video camera having plural selectable data compression circuits

• US 5,764,286 A
• Filed: 11/03/1994
• Issued: 06/09/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Horii, Hiroyuki, Kawamura, Hideaki, Takaiwa, Kan
• Primary Examiner(s): Peng, John K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Miller, John W.
• Application Number:
  US08/333,868
• Time in Patent Office: 1,314 Days
• Field of Search: 348/222, 348/207, 348/233, 348/231, 348/384, 348/390, 348/397, 348/399, 348/409, 348/420, 348/424, 348/415, 348/232, 358/909.1, 358/906
• US Class Current: 348/231.6
• 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 19/10 using adaptive coding
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/12 Selection from among a plurality of transforms or standards, e.g. selection between discrete cosine transform [DCT] and sub-band transform or selection between H.263 and H.264
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/146 Data rate or code amount at the encoder output
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/15 by monitoring actual compressed data size at the memory before deciding storage at the transmission buffer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/30 using hierarchical techniques, e.g. scalability H04N19/63 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/593 involving spatial prediction techniques
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/90 using coding techniques not provided for in groups H04N19/10-H04N19/85, e.g. fractals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/33357 Compression mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/00 Circuitry of solid-state image sensors [SSIS]; Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 358/906 Hand-held camera with recorder in a single unit

Abstract

A still video camera using a solid-state memory device as an image recording medium and wherein outset image data exists for processing comprises a plurality of data compression circuits, wherein one of the plurality of data compression circuits is selected according to the amount of image data following processing of the outset image data. The plurality of data compression circuits may effect compression of data by a data compression method selected from the compression method group consisting of DCPM, ADPCM and discrete cosine transformation. The plurality of data compression circuits may effect data compression by the same data compression method with respective different compressing characteristics.

Claims

1. An image signal compressing apparatus, comprising:

(a) input means for inputting an image data;

(b) compression means for compressing the input image data according to any one of a plurality of compression programs, said compression means being able to perform various compressing methods;

(c) memory means for storing the compression programs, said programs being related respectively to said various compressing methods and being transcribable; and

(d) means for outputting compressed data and data indicating the compression program in a multiplexed manner.

2. An image sensing apparatus comprising:

(a) image sensing means for photoelectrically converting an image light coming from an object to be photographed;

(b) compression means for compressing an output of the image sensing means according to any of a plurality of compression, programs said compression means being able to perform various compressing methods;

(c) transcribable memory means for storing the compression programs, said programs being related respectively to said various compressing methods and being transcribable; and

(d) means for combining compressed data by the compression means with data representing the compression program.

3. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said memory means includes a memory card.

4. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said image sensing means includes a CCD.

5. An image signal compressing apparatus, comprising:

(a) image sensing means for photoelectrically converting an image light coming from an object to be photographed;

(b) compression means for compressing an output of the image sensing means according to any one of a plurality of compression programs, said compression means being able to perform various compressing methods;

(c) transcribable memory means for storing the compression programs, said programs being related respectively to said various compressing methods and being transcribable;

(d) means for combining compressed data by the compression means with data representing the compression program; and

(e) recording means for recording the compressed data with the data representing the compression program.

6. An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said memory means includes a memory card.

7. An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said image sensing means includes a CCD.

8. An image signal compressing apparatus, comprising:

(a) input means for inputting an image data;

(b) compression means for compressing the input image data according to any one of a plurality of compression programs, said compression means being able to perform various compressing methods;

(c) transcribable memory means for storing the compression programs, said programs being related respectively to said various compressing methods and being transcribable;

(d) means for combining compressed data by the compression means with data representing the compression program; and

(e) recording means for recording the compressed data with the data representing the compression program.

9. An image signal compressing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said memory means includes a memory card.

10. An image signal compressing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said image data inputting means includes image sensing means.

11. An image signal compressing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said image sensing means includes a CCD.