Storage device for an electronic camera that is accessible by an external device

• US 6,256,452 B1
• Filed: 02/19/1997
• Issued: 07/03/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: PENTAX RICOH IMAGING COMPANY, LTD.
• Original Assignee: Asahi Kogaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Yamamoto, Yasuhiro
• Primary Examiner(s): LEE, Y YOUNG
• Application Number:
  US08/802,880
• Time in Patent Office: 1,595 Days
• Field of Search: H04/N.5225, 386/1, 386/46, 386/38, 386/117, 386/120, 358/906, 358/909.1, 348/207, 348/232, 348/372
• US Class Current: 386/225
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/772 the recording apparatus and the television camera being placed in the same enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/781 on disks or drums

Abstract

An electronic still camera has a hard disk device in which a hard disk is mounted to record image data obtained by the electronic still camera. The hard disk can also be used as an external storage device for a computer. When a mode select switch is set to select a photographing mode to record image data on the hard disk, a rotation of the hard disk is stopped after recording the image data. When the mode select switch is set to select an external mode in which the hard disk is accessed by the computer, a rotation of the hard disk is stopped when the hard disk has not been accessed by the computer for, for example, 5 minutes.

Claims

1. An electronic still camera, comprising:

a recording medium for which reading and writing operations are carried out while said recording medium is rotated, said recording medium being electrically connectable to an external computer not associated with said electronic still camera in order to perform operations unrelated to said electronic still camera;

a mode select switch that selects one of a photographing mode, in which image data obtained from said electronic still camera is recorded on said recording medium, and an external mode, in which data distinct from said image data obtained from said electronic still camera is recorded on said recording medium under control of the external computer;

a first control system that controls said recording medium, in said photographing mode, such that a rotation of said recording medium is stopped after recording said image data on said recording medium;

a second control system that controls said recording medium, in said external mode, in accordance with a control signal output from the external computer to record data output from the external computer on the recording medium; and

an imaging unit that converts an object image into an electronic signal and applies a predetermined process to the electronic signal, electrical power being supplied to said imaging unit upon a determination that said photographic mode is selected by said mode select switch.

2. An electronic still camera according to claim 1, wherein said recording medium comprises a hard disk.

3. An electronic still camera according to claim 1, wherein said recording medium comprises a magneto-optical disc.

4. An electronic still camera according to claim 1, wherein said second control system controls said recording medium in such a manner that, in said external mode, rotation of said recording medium is continued for at least a predetermined time period after completing at least one of a writing operation and a reading operation of said recording medium by the external computer.

5. An electronic still camera according to claim 1, said second control system supplying no electric power to said imaging unit.

6. An electronic still camera according to claim 1, wherein said rotation of said recording medium is started in accordance with a command signal outputted by the external computer.

7. The electronic still camera of claim 1, wherein said second control system stops a rotation of said recording medium when said recording medium has not been accessed by the external computer for a predetermined period of time.

8. An electronic camera using a recording medium for recording image data, said electronic camera comprising:

a system that electrically connects said recording medium to an external computer so that the external computer can access said recording medium for operations unrelated to said electronic camera;

a mode select switch that selects one of a photographing mode, in which image data obtained by said electronic camera is recorded on said recording medium, and an external mode, in which data distinct from said image data obtained by said electronic camera is recorded to said recording medium under control of the external computer;

a first control system that controls said recording medium, in said photographing mode, such that a rotation of said recording medium is stopped after recording said image data on said recording medium;

a second control system that controls said recording medium, in said external mode, in accordance with a control signal output from the external computer to record data output from the external computer on the recording medium; and

an imaging unit that converts an object image into an electronic signal and applies a predetermined process to the electronic signal, electrical power being supplied to said imaging unit upon a determination that said photographic mode is selected by said mode select switch.

9. The electronic camera of claim 8, wherein said electronic camera comprises an electronic still camera.

10. The electronic camera of claim 8, wherein said second control system stops a rotation of said recording medium when said recording medium has not been accessed by the external computer for a predetermined period of time.

11. An electronic camera using a recording medium for recording image data, comprising:

a connecting unit that electrically connects said recording medium to an external computer, so that the external computer can access said recording medium for operations unrelated to said electronic camera;

a system that sets a photographing mode, so that image data obtained by said electronic camera is recorded on said recording medium;

a system that sets an external mode, so that data distinct from said image data obtained by said electronic camera is recorded to said recording medium under control of the external computer;

a mode select switch for actuating one of said photographing mode setting system and said external mode setting system, a rotation of said recording medium being stopped after recording said image data on said recording medium when said mode select switch actuates said photographing mode, a control signal output from the external computer controlling the record medium to record data output from the external computer when said mode select switch actuates said external mode setting system; and

an imaging unit that converts an object image into an electronic signal and applies a predetermined process to the electronic signal, electrical power being supplied to said imaging unit upon a determination that said photographic mode has been actuated by said mode select switch.

12. The electronic camera of claim 11, wherein said electronic camera comprises an electronic still camera.

13. The electronic camera of claim 11, wherein a rotation of said recording medium is stopped when said recording medium has not been accessed by the external computer for a predetermined period of time when said mode select switch actuates said external mode setting system.

14. An electronic camera, comprising:

a main switch that controls a supply of electrical power to said electronic camera;

a storage device;

a first interface that connects said imaging unit to said storage device;

a second interface that electrically connects said storage device to an external computer so that the external computer can access said storage device for operations unrelated to said electronic camera;

a selecting unit that selects one of a photographing mode and an external operation mode, image data obtained by said electronic camera being stored to said storage device when said photographing mode is selected, data associated with and output from the external computer being stored to said storage device by a control signal output from the external computer when said external operation mode is selected; and

an imaging unit that converts an object image into an electronic signal and applies a predetermined process to the electronic signal, electrical power not being supplied to said imaging unit when said main switch is turned to an ON condition to supply electrical power to said electronic camera.

15. The electronic camera of claim 14, wherein said electronic camera comprises an electronic still camera.

16. The electronic camera of claim 14, further comprising a system controller that controls operations of said storage device.

17. The electronic camera of claim 16, wherein said system controller deactivates said storage device after image data is stored to said storage device, when said photographing mode is selected by said selecting unit.

18. The electronic camera of claim 17, wherein said system controller deactivates said storage device after an elapse of a predetermined period of time in which no storage device activity occurs, when said external operation mode is selected by said selecting device.

19. The electronic camera of claim 14, wherein electrical power to said imaging unit is disabled when said selecting device selects said external operation mode.

20. The electronic camera of claim 14, wherein said storage device comprises a hard disk drive.