Digital camera for outputting digital image signals and image reproducing device connectable thereof

• US 6,529,236 B1
• Filed: 09/12/1997
• Issued: 03/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co Limited (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Watanabe, Mikio
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu, Ngoc-Yen, VU, NGOC YEN T
• Application Number:
  US08/928,220
• Time in Patent Office: 1,999 Days
• Field of Search: 348/222, 348/552, 348/510, 348/513, 348/514, 348/516, 348/518, 348/231, 348/207.99, 348/207.1, 348/207.2, 348/222.1, 348/229.1, 348/230.1, 348/231.99, 348/231.3, 348/231.6, 348/231.9, 348/316, 348/317
• US Class Current: 348/230.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2112 using still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2158 using a detachable storage unit
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0015 Control of image communication with the connected apparatus, e.g. signalling capability
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0049 By wire, cable or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/33342 of transmission mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3335 Speed or rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/42 by switching between different modes of operation using different resolutions or aspect ratios, e.g. switching between interlaced and non-interlaced mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/445 by skipping some contiguous pixels within the read portion of the array
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/46 by combining or binning pixels
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/73 using interline transfer [IT]

Abstract

In a digital camera, an image sensor or imaging device is driven in a partial pixel read mode during framing. The resulting image signal output from the image sensor is transformed to image data which can be displayed on, e.g., a display in real time. These image data are sent from the camera in an isochronous mode via a transmission interface and a cable connected to the interface. When a release command is input, the image sensor is driven in a full pixel read mode. Image data generated in this mode are written to a removable memory connected to a card interface or sent in an asynchronous mode via the transmission interface and cable. An image reproducing device is also capable of being connected to the camera by the cable.

Claims

1. A digital camera for shooting a subject and outputting a digital image signal representative of the subject, comprising:

an imaging device selectively operable, in response to a drive signal, in a partial pixel read mode for outputting a first image signal of one frame in which pixels constituting an image of said subject are reduced in a vertical direction, or in a full pixel read mode for outputting a second image signal of one frame of two fields, including all of said pixels constituting the image;

a converting circuit for converting each of said image signals selectively output from said imaging device to a digital image signal;

a signal processing circuit for processing said digital image signal;

an outputting circuit for outputting the image signals selectively output from said imaging device; and

a control circuit for controlling an operation of said digital camera, said control circuit selecting one of said partial pixel read mode and said full pixel read mode, and feeding said drive signal to said imaging device for causing said imaging device to operate in a selected one of said partial pixel read mode and said full pixel read mode;

said imaging device comprising a plurality of light-sensitive elements, each corresponding to a particular pixel, a vertical transfer path for transferring, in a vertical direction, charges generated by the light-sensitive elements arranged in a vertical direction, and a horizontal transfer path for transferring, in a horizontal direction, said charges transferred from said vertical transfer path and outputting said charges;

said outputting circuit including a transmitting circuit for transmitting in accordance with the IEEE 1394 standard, on a communication channel, the first image signal output from said imaging device in said partial pixel read mode and then output from said signal processing circuit, while selecting a transmitting mode of guaranteeing a data rate of said first image signal, or transmitting, on said communication channel the second image signal output from said imaging device in said full pixel read mode and then output from said signal processing circuit, and a recording circuit for recording said second image signal in a storage medium removably connected to a connector, while selecting a recording mode of activating said recording circuit;

said imaging device selectively transferring, in said partial pixel read mode set up by said control circuit, said charges generated in said light-sensitive elements to said vertical transfer path while selecting a charge transfer mode of reducing pixels at an interval of a preselected number of pixels with a charge of at least one of the pixels reduced at the interval being added to a charge of one of the pixels remaining from reducing the pixels at the interval transferred, outputting said charges transferred on said vertical transfer path as the first image signal of one frame, said imaging device selectively transferring, in said full pixel read mode set up by said control circuit, said charges generated in said light-sensitive elements to said vertical transfer path while on a field-by-field basis to output said charges transferred on said vertical transfer path as said second image signal of one frame;

said control circuit feeding said first image signal to said transmitting circuit to thereby sequentially transmit said first image signal on said communication channel, said control circuit setting up said full pixel read mode in response to a command input by an operator to thereby feed said second image signal to said transmitting circuit or said recording circuit;

said transmitting circuit having an isochronous transmitting finction for serially transmitting said first image signal in an isochronous mode at the guaranteed data rate while guaranteeing an amount of data to be transferred for a preselected period of time, and an asynchronous transmitting function for transmitting the second image signal in an asynchronous mode at a data rate matching an ability of a destination to which said communication channel is connected.

2. A digital camera in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a compressing circuit for compressing and coding said second image signal output from said signal processing circuit, said control circuit feeding said second image signal output from said compressing circuit to said outputting circuit, whereby said second image signal is output from either one of said transmitting circuit and said recording circuit.

3. A digital camera in accordance with claim 2, further comprising a buffer circuit for temporarily storing said second image signal output from said signal processing circuit, said compressing circuit compressing said second image signal read out of said buffer circuit.

4. A digital camera in accordance with claim 1, wherein said transmitting circuit reports to said control circuit command information received via said communication channel in response to said command, said control circuit designating said full pixel read mode in accordance with said command information.

5. A digital camera in accordance with claim 1, wherein said transmitting circuit comprises a checking circuit for determining whether or not said transmitting circuit can hold communication with another apparatus, said control circuit causing, when communication can be held, said first and second image signals to be fed to and then output from said transmitting circuit.

6. A digital camera in accordance with claim 5, wherein said outputting circuit comprises a reproducing circuit for sequentially displaying images represented by said first image signal, said control circuit causing, when communication cannot be held, said first image signal to be output from said reproducing circuit.

7. A digital camera in accordance with claim 6, further comprising a display connected to an output of said reproducing circuit for displaying the images represented by said first image signal.

8. A digital camera in accordance with claim 1, further comprising an operating section for generating operation information corresponding to an operator'"'"'s operation, said control circuit causing said second image signal to be fed to either one of said transmitting circuit and said recording circuit, depending on an operation state output from said operating section.

9. A digital camera in accordance with claim 1, wherein said signal processing circuit comprises a horizontal reduction circuit for reducing in the horizontal direction said first image signal output from said converting circuit to a number of pixels suitable for displaying the image represented by said first image signal;

said horizontal reduction circuit producing a third image signal from said first image signal;

said transmitting circuit transmitting isochronously said third image signal.

10. A digital camera system for shooting a subject and outputting a digital image signal representative of said subject, including:

a digital camera and an image reproducing device connected to said digital camera via a communication channel, said digital camera comprising;

an imaging device selectively operable, in response to a drive signal, in a partial pixel read mode for outputting a first image signal of one frame in which pixels constituting an image of said subject are reduced in a vertical direction, or in a full pixel read mode for outputting a second image signal of one frame of two fields including all of said pixels constituting the image;

a converting circuit for converting each of said image signals selectively output from said imaging device to a digital image signal;

a signal processing circuit for processing said digital image signal;

an outputting circuit for outputting the image signals selectively output from said imaging device; and

a control circuit for controlling an operation of said digital camera, said control circuit selecting one of said partial pixel read mode and said full pixel read mode, and feeding said drive signal to said imaging device for causing said imaging device to operate in a selected one of said partial pixel read mode and said full pixel read mode;

said imaging device comprising a plurality of light-sensitive elements each corresponding to a particular pixel, a vertical transfer path for transferring, in a vertical direction, charges generated by the light-sensitive elements arranged in a vertical direction, and a horizontal transfer path for transferring, in a horizontal direction, said charges transferred from said vertical transfer path and outputting said charges;

said outputting circuit including a transmitting circuit for transmitting in accordance with the IEEE 1394 standard, on a communication channel, the first image signal output from said imaging device in said partial pixel read mode and then output from said signal processing circuit, while selecting a transmitting mode of guaranteeing a data rate of said first image signal, or transmitting, on said communication channel the second image signal output from said imaging device in said full pixel read mode and then output from said signal processing circuit, and a recording circuit for recording said second image signal in a storage medium removably connected to a connector, while selecting a recording mode of activating said recording circuit;

said imaging device selectively transferring, in said partial pixel read mode set up by said control circuit, said charges generated in said light-sensitive elements to said vertical transfer path while selecting a charge transfer mode reducing pixels at an interval of a preselected number of pixels with a charge of at least one of the pixels reduced at the interval being added to a charge of one of pixels remaining from reducing the pixels at the interval, outputting said charges transferred on said vertical transfer path as the first image signal of one frame, said imaging device selectively transferring, in said fall pixel read mode set up by said control circuit, said charges generated in said light-sensitive elements to said vertical transfer path while on a field-by-field basis to output said charges transferred on said vertical transfer path as said second image signal of one frame;

said control circuit feeding said first image signal to said transmitting circuit to thereby sequentially transmit said first image signal on said communication channel, said control circuit setting up said full pixel read mode in response to a command input by an operator to thereby fed said second image signal to said transmitting circuit or said recording circuit;

said transmitting circuit having an isochronous transmitting function for serially transmitting said first image signal in an isochronous mode at the guaranteed data rate while guaranteeing an amount of data to be transferred for a preselected period of time, and an asynchronous transmitting function for transmitting the second image signal in an asynchronous mode at a data rate matching an ability of a destination to which said communication channel is connected,

said image reproducing device comprising;

a second transmitting circuit for receiving said first image signal on said communication channel, and transmitting an acknowledgement of receipt to said transmitting circuit on said communication channel; and

an outputting circuit for outputting said first and second image signals received by said second transmitting circuit;

said second transmitting circuit comprising a first receiving circuit for guaranteeing an amount of data to be transmitted during a preselected period of time and receiving, on said communication channel, said first image signal serially transmitted in said isochronous mode at the guaranteed data rate, and a second receiving circuit for receiving said second image signal serially transmitted in said asynchronous mode on said communication channel.

11. A digital camera system in accordance with claim 10, wherein said second transmitting circuit transmits command information corresponding to said command to said first transmitting circuit on said communication channel.