Solid-state camera and solid-state memory apparatus

• US 6,118,929 A
• Filed: 04/27/1995
• Issued: 09/12/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Suzuki, Takashi, Murata, Yoshitaka, Horii, Hiroyuki, Mimura, Toshihiko, Kawamura, Hideaki, Takaiwa, Kan, Tojo, Akihiko, Date, Nobuaki, Ozaki, Seiichi
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAN, THAI Q
• Application Number:
  US08/430,157
• Time in Patent Office: 1,965 Days
• Field of Search: 358/335, 358/906, 358/909.1, 360/33.1, 360/35.1, 348/207, 348/373, 348/231-233
• US Class Current: 386/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2112 using still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2137 with temporary storage before final recording, e.g. in a frame buffer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2158 using a detachable storage unit
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/214 Checking or indicating the storage space
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/00 Cameras or camera modules comprising electronic image sensors; Control thereof
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 358/906 Hand-held camera with recorder in a single unit

Abstract

A solid-state camera includes a loading detecting unit for detecting loading of a detachable solid-state memory apparatus, a checking unit for checking the loaded solid-state memory apparatus, and a control unit for performing control of each section which includes predetermined display control in accordance with a check result of the checking unit.

Claims

1. A camera comprising:

loading detecting means for detecting whether detachable image storing means is properly loaded for data communication;

specification detecting means for detecting specification information of the detachable image storing means, wherein the specification information comprises predetermined storage characteristics of the detachable image storing means;

checking means for checking detection outputs from said loading detecting means and said specification detecting means and for providing a check result; and

control means for controlling processing operations of said camera in accordance with the predetermined storage characteristics of the check result of said checking means,

wherein the storage characteristics of said image storing means represent a classification of said image storing means or a memory capacity of said image storing means or a remaining memory capacity of said storing means or a data transfer speed of said image storing means, or an image size of data stored in said storing means or a remaining capacity of an internal power source.

2. A camera according to claim 1, wherein said image storing means is a solid-state memory apparatus including a memory device.

3. A camera according to claim 1, wherein said loading detecting means includes a switch which is turned on after said image storing means is loaded.

4. A camera according to claim 1, wherein said checking means includes a microcomputer.

5. A camera according to claim 1, wherein said control means includes a microcomputer.

6. A camera according to claim 1, wherein said checking means and said control means includes a single microcomputer.

7. A camera according to claim 1, wherein said checking means reads out specification information stored beforehand in said image storing means.

8. A camera comprising:

(a) detachable image storing means having specification information thereof;

(b) communication means for exchanging information with respect to said detachable image storing means when said detachable image storing means is loaded onto said camera; and

(c) control means for controlling operations of said detachable image storing means and said communication means on the basis of the specification information of said detachable image storing means obtained from said communication means, wherein said control means variably controls the data transmission rate of said communication means between said camera and said detachable image storing means, and wherein the specification information represents a classification of said image storing means and/or a memory capacity of said image storing means and/or a remaining memory capacity of said storing means and/or a data transfer speed of said image storing means, and/or an image size of said storing means and/or a remaining capacity of an internal power source.

9. A camera according to claim 8, wherein said image storing means is a solid-state memory apparatus including a memory device.

10. A camera according to claim 8, wherein said control means is a microcomputer.

11. An information recording apparatus having means for recording information including an image signal in detachable image storing means, comprising:

detecting means for both detecting loading of said detachable image storing means onto said apparatus, and for detecting storage characteristics of said detachable image storing means when said detachable image storing means is loaded onto said apparatus on the basis of the shape of the detachable image storing means; and

control means for controlling access to the information, which is recorded in said detachable image storing means by said apparatus, by controlling the readout rate of the information by said apparatus in accordance with the storage characteristics of said detachable image storing means, which are detected by said detecting means,

wherein the storage characteristics of said image storing means represent a classification of said image storing means or a memory capacity of said image storing means or a remaining memory capacity of said storing means or a data transfer speed of said image storing means or an image size of data stored in said storing means or a remaining capacity of an internal power source.

12. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said image storing means is a solid-state memory apparatus using a memory device.

13. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said detecting means includes a microcomputer.

14. An apparatus having means for recording received information including an image signal in detachable image storing means, comprising:

detecting means for detecting storage characteristics of said detachable image storing means when said detachable image storing means is loaded onto said apparatus;

storing means for temporarily storing the received information to be recorded in said detachable image storing means; and

control means for controlling access to the information, which is stored in said storing means by said apparatus, by controlling the readout rate of the information by said apparatus in accordance with the storage characteristics of said detachable image storing means, which are detected by said detection means,

wherein the storage characteristics of said image storing means represent a classification of said image storing means or a memory capacity of said image storing means or a remaining memory capacity of said storing means or a data transfer speed of said image storing means or an image size of data stored in said storing means or a remaining capacity of an internal power source.

15. An apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said image storing means is a solid-state camera using a memory device.

16. An apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said detecting means includes a microcomputer.

17. An apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said detecting means detects a shape of said image storing means.

18. An apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said storing means is a frame memory.

19. A camera for recording information in detachable image storing means, comprising:

detecting means for detecting storage characteristics of said detachable image storing means when said detachable image storing means is loaded onto said camera; and

control means for controlling a maximum continuous photography speed in accordance with the storage characteristics of said loaded detachable image storing means, which are detected by said detecting means,

wherein the storage characteristics of said image storing means represent a classification of said image storing means or a memory capacity of said image storing means or a remaining memory capacity of said storing means or a data transfer speed of said image storing means or an image size of data stored in said storing means or a remaining capacity of an internal power source.

20. A camera according to claim 19, wherein said image storing means is a solid-state memory apparatus using a memory device.

21. A camera according to claim 19, wherein said detecting means includes a microcomputer.

22. A camera according to claim 19, wherein said detecting means detects a shape of said image storing means.

23. A camera system, comprising:

a camera;

a memory apparatus detachable with respect to said camera, wherein storage characteristics of said memory apparatus are pre-stored in said memory apparatus; and

a control system for controlling the operation of said camera, wherein said control system controls at least the transmission rate of data to said memory apparatus, and wherein the operation of said camera is controlled by said control system on the basis of the storage characteristics, which are read out after said memory apparatus is loaded in said camera,

wherein the storage characteristics of said image storing means represent a classification of said image storing means or a memory capacity of said image storing means or a remaining memory capacity of said storing means or a data transfer speed of said image storing means or an image size of data stored in said storing means or a remaining capacity of an internal power source.

24. A camera according to claim 23, wherein the release operation includes first and second strokes.

25. A camera according to claim 23, wherein recording is initiated in response to the second stroke.

27. A camera according to claim 23, further comprising image pickup means for performing an image pickup operation in response to the first stroke.

29. A solid-state camera according to claim 24, further comprising detection means for detecting that a solid-state memory device is loaded into said solid-state camera, by detecting a level of a signal at an electrical contact of said solid-state memory device.

26. A solid-state camera for use with a solid state memory device as image recording means, said camera comprising:

a release member for performing a release operation;

a solid-state memory device that records images;

means for communicating with a solid-state memory device loaded in the solid-state camera;

means for checking a status of the solid-state memory device to determine whether an image can be recorded by the solid-state memory device; and

control means for initiating communication with a solid-state memory device loaded in the solid-state camera by said communication means in response to a power-on operation of the camera, for generating a first warning when communication with the solid-state memory device loaded in the solid-state camera can not be established, for initiating operation of said checking means when a first warning is not generated, for generating a second warning when said checking means determines that an image can not be recorded by the solid-state memory device loaded in the solid-state camera, and for initiating recording of an image in the solid-state memory device loaded in the solid-state camera in response to a release operation of the release portion, wherein said control means performs a check operation of the status of the solid-state memory device during a period of time between the power-on operation and the release operation.

28. A camera according to claim 26, further comprising image pickup means for performing an image pickup operation in response to the first stroke.