Electronic still camera
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An electronic still camera comprising:
- a central processor means for controlling operation means of the electronic still camera;
photographing means for photographing a photographed object and outputting image data;
image data coding means for coding the image data;
means for recording the coded image data to a recording medium;
means for converting a sound to an electric signal;
sound data coding means for coding sound data converted to the electric signal;
means for recording the coded sound data to the recording medium;
means for temporarily recording the coded image data from said image data coding means to a first-in first-out memory as a FIFO memory;
means for DMA-transferring data within the FIFO memory to said recording medium, where DMA is direct memory access, and said means for DMA-transferring data including a DMA control means, formed independent of the central processor means, for controlling the DMA transferring and for detecting a state of the recording medium;
means, including the DMA control means for DMA-transferring the coded image data from the recording medium to the FIFO memory; and
means for reading data from the FIFO memory to image decoding means.
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Abstract
In an electronic still camera, image data obtained by a camera image pickup section are transmitted to an image data compression/extension circuit and are coded by this circuit. The coded image data are recorded to a FIFO circuit. The image data are then DMA-transferred to a memory card by a DMA controller within a memory card interface (I/F) and are recorded to the memory card. When the image data are regenerated, the image data are DMA-transferred in a reverse direction.
19 Citations
26 Claims
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1. An electronic still camera comprising:
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a central processor means for controlling operation means of the electronic still camera; photographing means for photographing a photographed object and outputting image data; image data coding means for coding the image data; means for recording the coded image data to a recording medium; means for converting a sound to an electric signal; sound data coding means for coding sound data converted to the electric signal; means for recording the coded sound data to the recording medium; means for temporarily recording the coded image data from said image data coding means to a first-in first-out memory as a FIFO memory; means for DMA-transferring data within the FIFO memory to said recording medium, where DMA is direct memory access, and said means for DMA-transferring data including a DMA control means, formed independent of the central processor means, for controlling the DMA transferring and for detecting a state of the recording medium; means, including the DMA control means for DMA-transferring the coded image data from the recording medium to the FIFO memory; and means for reading data from the FIFO memory to image decoding means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A still camera comprising:
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a central processor means for controlling operation means of the electronic still camera; photographing means for photographing a photographed object and outputting image data; image data coding means for coding the image data; means for recording the coded image data to a recording medium; means for converting a sound to an electric signal; sound data converting means for coding sound data converted to the electric signal; means for recording the coded sound data to the recording medium; means for temporarily recording the coded image data from said image data coding means to a first-in first-out memory as a FIFO memory; means for DMA-transferring data within the FIFO memory to said recording medium, where DMA is direct memory access, and said means for DMA-transferring data including a DMA control means, formed independent of the central processor means, for controlling the DMA transferring and for detecting a state of the recording medium; means, including the DMA control means, for DMA-transferring the coded sound data from the recording medium to the FIFO memory; and means for reading data from the FIFO memory to image decoding means. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8)
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9. An electronic still camera comprising:
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a central processor for controlling operation elements of the electronic still camera; a pickup circuit for photographing a photographed object and outputting image data; an image data coder for coding the image data; an image data recorder for recording the coded image data to a recording medium; a convertor for converting sound data to an electric signal; a sound data coder for coding the sound data converted to the electric signal; a sound data recorder for recording the coded sound data to the recording medium; a first-in-first-out (FIFO) memory for temporarily storing the coded image data from said image data coder; a direct memory access (DMA) controller, formed independent of the central processor, for DMA-transferring data within the FIFO memory to said recording medium and for DMA-transferring the coded image data from the recording medium to the FIFO memory, and said direct memory access controller for detecting a state of the recording medium; and a reading circuit for reading data from the FIFO memory to an image data recorder. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
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13. An electronic still camera comprising:
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a central processor for controlling operation elements of the electronic still camera; a pickup circuit for photographing a photographed object and outputting image data; an image data coder for coding the image data; an image data recorder for recording the coded image data to a recording medium; a convertor for converting sound data to an electric signal; a sound data coder for coding the sound data converted to the electric signal; a sound data recorder for recording the coded sound data to the recording medium; a first-in-first-out (FIFO) memory for storing the coded sound data from said sound data coder; a direct memory access (DMA) controller, formed independent of the central processor, for DMA-transferring data within the FIFO memory to said recording medium and for DMA-transferring the coded image data from the recording medium to the FIFO memory, and said direct memory access controller for detecting a state of the recording medium; and a reading circuit for reading data from the FIFO memory to an image data recorder. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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17. An electronic still camera comprising:
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a central processor means for controlling operation means of the electronic still camera; photographing means for photographing a photographed object and outputting image data; image data coding means for coding the image data; means for recording the coded image data to a recording medium; means for converting a sound to an electric signal; sound data coding means for coding sound data converted to the electric signal; means for recording the coded sound data to the recording medium; means for temporarily recording the coded image data from said image data coding means to a first-in-first-out memory as a FIFO memory; means for temporarily recording the coded sound data from said sound data coding means to the FIFO memory; means for DMA-transferring data within the FIFO memory to said recording medium, where DMA is direct memory access, and said a DMA control means, formed independent of the central processor means, for controlling the DMA transferring and for DMA-transferring data including means for detecting a state of the recording medium; means, including the DMA control means, for DMA-transferring the coded image and sound data from the recording medium to the FIFO memory; means for reading data from the FIFO memory to image and sound data decoding means; wherein the image data within said FIFO memory are DMA-transferred for a period except for a vertical blanking period; and wherein the sound data within said FIFO memory are DMA-transferred by a DMA controller for the vertical blanking period, and wherein the DMA controller detects a state of the recording medium. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. An electronic still camera comprising:
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a central processor for controlling operation elements of the electronic still camera; a pickup circuit for photographing a photographed object and outputting image data; an image data coder for coding the image data; an image data recorder for recording the coded image data to a recording medium; a convertor for converting sound data to an electric signal; a sound data coder for coding the sound data converted to the electric signal; a sound data recorder for recording the coded sound data to the recording medium; a first-in-first-out (FIFO) memory for temporarily storing the coded image data from said image data coder and for temporarily storing the coded sound data from said sound data recorder; a direct memory access (DMA) controller, formed independent of the central processor, for DMA-transferring data within the FIFO memory to said recording medium and for DMA-transferring the coded image data and sound data from the recording medium to the FIFO memory and said direct memory access controller; and a reading circuit for reading data from the FIFO memory to an image data decoder and a sound data decoder; wherein the DMA controller detects a state of the recording medium; wherein the DMA controller DMA-transfers the image data within said FIFO memory for a period except for a vertical blanking period; and wherein the DMA controller DMA-transfers the sound data within said FIFO memory for the vertical blanking period. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification