Apparatus for recording digital still image signal and analog video signal

• US 6,069,994 A
• Filed: 04/16/1996
• Issued: 05/30/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Hori, Taizou, Kozuki, Susumu, Harigaya, Isao
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAN, THAI Q
• Application Number:
  US08/632,909
• Time in Patent Office: 1,505 Days
• Field of Search: 358/335, 358/310, 358/906, 358/909.1, 348/207, 348/220, 360/33.1, 360/32
• US Class Current: 386/225
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 15/087 by sensing recorded signals
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 15/1875 adaptations for special effects or editing signal processing or indexing therefor G11B27/00
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 15/4673 by controlling the speed of the tape while the head is rotating
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/90 Tape-like record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/024 on tapes G11B27/028, G11B27/029 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/032 on tapes G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/107 of operating tapes
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/3027 used signal is digitally coded
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/772 the recording apparatus and the television camera being placed in the same enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/78266 using more than one track for the recording of one television field or frame, i.e. segmented recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/80 Transformation of the television signal for recording, e.g. modulation, frequency changing; Inverse transformation for playback
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8042 involving data reduction
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8227 the additional signal being at least another television signal
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 358/906 Hand-held camera with recorder in a single unit

Abstract

An apparatus is disclosed which is arranged to record a video signal in first areas respectively provided in a multiplicity of tracks on a recording medium and also a digital still-image signal in second areas which are respectively separated from the first areas. In the apparatus, while the digital still-image signal is being recorded in the second areas, the video signal is always recorded in the first areas, whereby it is possible to prevent occurrence of an uncomfortable phenomenon, such as formation of a scene devoid of a substantial image, during reproduction from the first areas. In addition, an analog still-image signal, representative of an image identical to an image represented by the digital still-image signal recorded in the second areas, is repeatedly recorded in the first areas during a predetermined time duration, whereby it is possible to facilitate search of a still-image signal recorded in the second areas. In addition, the digital still-image signal is recorded in the second areas at intervals of a predetermined period during recording of an analog moving-image signal in the first areas, whereby it is possible to record as many still images as possible.

Claims

1. A video signal recording apparatus, comprising:

forming means for forming a digital still image signal for one picture;

recording means for recording a moving image signal in a first area of a tape-shaped recording medium on which a multiplicity of tracks are formed and for recording the digital still image signal for one picture in a plurality of tracks in a second area which is separated from the first area;

trigger means for issuing an instruction to record the digital still image signal for one picture; and

control means for controlling said forming means and said recording means so as to record the digital still image signal for one picture in response to a single operation of said trigger means and for repeatedly controlling said forming means and said recording means so as to repeatedly record the digital still image signal for one picture a plurality of times at intervals of a predetermined period without a plurality of operations of said trigger means.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said forming means includes a memory in which one picture portion of the moving-image signal is stored.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said forming means includes an image-pickup device which generates the moving image signal.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said forming means includes compression means which compresses an amount of information of the digital still image signal.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising generating means for generating an identification signal representing whether the digital still image signal is independently recorded in response to the single operation of said trigger means or repeatedly recorded the plurality of times, and wherein said recording means records the identification signal in the second area.

6. An Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said recording means records the identification signal generated by said generating means on the tape-shaped recording medium with the digital still image signal.

7. An apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising reproducing means for reproducing the moving image signal, the digital still image signal and the identification signal from the tape-shaped recording medium

8. An apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising searching means for searching the digital still image signal which is independently recorded in response to the single operation of said trigger means by using the identification signal reproduced by said reproducing means.

9. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said searching means searches the digital still image signal which is independently recorded in response to the single operation of said trigger means by controlling a transportation of the tape-shaped recording medium.

10. A video signal recording apparatus, comprising:

forming means for forming a digital still image signal for one picture;

recording means for recording the digital still image signal for one picture on a record bearing medium;

trigger means for issuing an instruction to record the digital still image signal for one picture;

control means for controlling said forming means and said recording means so as to record the digital still image signal for one picture in response to a single operation of said trigger means and for repeatedly controlling said forming means and said recording means so as to repeatedly record the digital still image signal for one picture a plurality of times at intervals of a predetermined period without a plurality of operations of said trigger means; and

generating means for generating an identification signal representing whether the digital still image signal is independently recorded in response to the single operation of said trigger means or repeatedly recorded the plurality of times, the identification singal being recorded in the second area.

11. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the digital still image signal for one picture is recorded in a plurality of tracks on the record bearing medium.

12. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said forming means includes a memory in which one picture portion of a moving-image signal is stored.

13. An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said forming means includes an image-pickup device which generates the moving-image signals.

14. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said forming means includes compression means which compresses an amount of information of the digital still image signal.

15. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said recording means records the identification signal generated by said generating means on the recording medium with the digital still image signal.

16. An apparatus according to claim 15, further comprising reproducing means for reproducing the digital still image signal and the identification signal from the recording medium.

17. An apparatus according to claim 16, further comprising searching means for searching the digital still image signal which is independently recorded in response to the single operation of said trigger means by using the identification signal reproduced by said reproducing means.

18. An apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the recording medium is tape-shaped and said searching means searches the digital still image signal which is independently recorded in response to the single operation of said trigger means by controlling a transportation of the recording medium.