Recording apparatus capable of recording motion image and still image

• US 6,243,531 B1
• Filed: 09/13/1996
• Issued: 06/05/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Oishi, Akihiro, Takeuchi, Yoshitaka
• Primary Examiner(s): Garber, Wendy R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, LUONG TRUNG
• Application Number:
  US08/715,392
• Time in Patent Office: 1,726 Days
• Field of Search: 386/38, 386/95, 386/117, 386/120, 386/121, 386/83, 386/108, 386/61, 358/906, 358/909.1, 348/220, 348/232, 348/334
• US Class Current: 386/224
• 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 5/9201 involving the multiplexing of an additional signal and the video signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/926 by pulse code modulation H04N5/919 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/7921 for more than one processing mode

Abstract

A motion image and a still image are selectively recorded onto a recording medium. When the recording of the still image is instructed during the recording of the motion image, one picture plane in the motion image is extracted and stored into a memory. After completion of the recording of the motion image, the image data of one picture plane stored in the memory is repeatedly read out and recorded as a still image. A continuity of motion images to be reproduced is held and a reproduction image of a high picture quality is obtained.

Claims

1. A recording apparatus comprising:

recording means for recording image data onto a recording medium;

memory means for storing the image data;

storing means for extracting image data of one picture plane from input motion image data and storing the extracted image data of one picture plane in said memory means;

instructing means for manually instructing a recording of a still image; and

control means for controlling said recording means and said storing means in a manner such that said storing means extracts image data of one picture plane from the input motion image data and stores the extracted image data of one picture plane in said memory means in response to an instruction of said instructing means during the recording of said input motion image data and said recording means records the extracted image data of one picture plane stored in said memory means as the still image after the recording of the input motion image data from which the image data of one picture plane for the still image is extracted is stopped, the image data of both picture planes preceding and following the extracted picture plane in the input motion image data being recorded onto the recording medium.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising encoding means for encoding said image data.

3. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said memory means stores the image data encoded by said encoding means.

4. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said memory means stores the image data to be encoded by said encoding means.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said control means controls said memory means and said recording means in a manner such that the image data of one picture plane stored in said memory means is repeatedly read out from said memory means and is repeatedly recorded as still images onto said recording medium.

6. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising generating means for generating first additional data in accordance with an instruction by said instructing means, and

wherein said control means further controls said recording means so as to record said first additional data onto said recording medium in accordance with an instruction by said instructing means.

7. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising generating means for generating additional data, and

wherein said control means controls said recording means so as to record said additional data onto said recording medium together with the image data stored in said memory means.

8. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said memory means stores said image data of a plurality of picture planes.

9. An apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising:

detecting means for detecting the number of picture planes of said image data which can be stored into said memory means; and

display means for displaying the number of picture planes of said image data detected by said detecting means.

10. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said detecting means further detects whether the number of picture planes which can be stored in said memory means is smaller than a predetermined number or not, and said display means displays a warning when said number of picture planes is smaller than said predetermined number.

11. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising manual instructing means for manually instructing a start and a stop of the recording of said motion image, and

wherein said control means controls said recording means and said memory means in a manner such that the image data stored in said memory means is recorded onto said recording medium in accordance with an instruction to stop the recording of said motion image by said manual instructing means.

12. A recording apparatus comprising:

recording means for recording image data onto a recording medium;

memory means for storing said image data;

storing means for extracting image data of one picture plane from input motion image data and storing the extracted image data of one picture plane in said memory means;

first instructing means for manually instructing a recording of a still image;

second instructing means for manually instructing a stop of a recording of a motion image, said second instructing means being functional independently of said first instructing means; and

control means for controlling said recording means and said storing means in a manner such that said storing means extracts image data of one picture plane from input motion image data and stores the extracted image data of one picture plane in said memory means in response to an instruction of said first instructing means during the recording of the input motion image data and said recording means records the stored image data of one picture plane as the still image onto said recording medium in response to an instruction of said second instructing means given to stop said recording of the input motion image data from which the image data of one picture plane is extracted by said storing means.

13. Apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said recording means comprises coding means for coding the input motion image data and for compressing an information amount of the input motion image data, said recording means recording the coded input image data.

14. Apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said coding means codes the image data stored in said memory means.

15. Apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the image motion input data are obtained by a video camera.

16. Apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said recording means records the image data stored in the memory means as the still image data for a predetermined period of time.

17. Apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said memory means stores the image data of a plurality of picture planes extracted from the input motion image data.