Electronic still camera

• US 6,334,027 B1
• Filed: 11/28/2000
• Issued: 12/25/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Fukuoka, Hiroki, Manabe, Katsuhiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Chevalier, Robert
• Application Number:
  US09/722,325
• Time in Patent Office: 392 Days
• Field of Search: 386/117, 386/107, 386/104, 386/96, 386/109, 386/111, 386/112, 386/98, 386/46, 386/105, 386/106, 386/124, 386/125, 386/54, 386/38, 386/27, 386/33, 386/40, 386/45, 386/1, 386/39
• US Class Current: 386/225
• 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 2201/3264 of sound signals
• 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: H04N 5/9264 using transform coding

Abstract

An electronic still camera which photographs an object and outputs image data. An image data coding device codes the image data. The coded image data is recorded to a recording medium. Sound data can also be converted to an electric signal and the sound data can be coded, converted to an electric signal, and then recorded to the recording media. A rearrangeable unused region of the recording media can be used as a work area for a file control work.

Claims

1. An electronic still camera comprising:

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;

means for coding sound data converted to the electric signal; and

means for recording the coded sound data to the recording medium;

a rearrangeable unused region of the recording medium being used as a work area for a file control work.

2. An electronic camera as claimed in claim 1, wherein empty cluster information corresponding to a capacity of the image and sound data to be recorded is stored to the work area for the file control work in the recording medium when a recording mode is set or a release switch is pushed.

3. An electronic camera as claimed in claim 2, wherein internal data of the recording medium are rearranged such that a continuous required cluster can be secured when no continuous cluster corresponding to a capacity of continuous image and sound data to be recorded can be secured.

4. An electronic camera as claimed in claim 22, wherein, when no internal data of the recording medium can be rearranged, such contents are alarmed.

5. An electronic camera comprising:

an image pickup unit configured to photograph a photographed objected and to output image data;

an image data coder configured to code the image data;

a recording unit configured to record the coded image data to a recording medium;

a sound converter configured to convert an input sound to an electric signal;

a second coder configured to code the sound data converted to the electric signal; and

wherein the recording unit further is configured to record the coded sound data to the recording medium; and

wherein a rearrangeable unused region of the recording medium is used as a work area for a file control work.

6. An electronic camera as claimed in claim 5, wherein empty cluster information corresponding to a capacity of the image and sound data to be recorded is stored to the work area for the file control work in the recording medium when a recording mode is set or a release switch is pushed.

7. An electronic camera as claimed in claim 6, wherein internal data of the recording medium are rearranged such that a continuous required cluster can be secured when no continuous cluster corresponding to a capacity of continuous image and sound data to be recorded can be secured.

8. An electronic camera as claimed in claim 7, wherein, when no internal data of the recording medium can be rearranged, such contents are alarmed.

9. A method of controlling an electronic camera comprising the steps of:

photographing a photographed object and outputting image data;

coding the image data;

recording the coded image data to a recording medium;

converting input sound data to an electric signal;

coding the sound data converted to the electric signal; and

recording the coded sound data to the recording medium;

wherein a rearrangeable unused region of the recording medium is used as a work area for a file control work.

10. A method of controlling an electronic still camera as claimed in claim 9, further comprising the step of storing empty cluster information corresponding to a capacity of the image and sound data to be recorded to the work area for the file control work in the recording medium when a recording mode is set or a release switch is pushed.

11. A method of controlling an electronic still camera as claimed in claim 9, further comprising the step of rearranging internal data of the recording medium such that a continuous required cluster can be secured when no continuous cluster corresponding to a capacity of continuous image and sound data to be recorded can be secured.

12. A method of controlling an electronic still camera as claimed in claim 11, wherein in the rearranging step, when no internal data of the recording medium can be rearranged, such contents are alarmed.