Photographed image recording and reproducing apparatus with simultaneous photographing function

• US 7,411,623 B2
• Filed: 03/19/2004
• Issued: 08/12/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Beijing Xiaomi Mobile Software Co., Ltd. (Xiaomi Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Casio Computer Company Limited
• Inventors: Shibutani, Atsushi
• Primary Examiner(s): Villecco, John M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pasiewicz, Daniel M
• Application Number:
  US10/804,916
• Publication Number:
  US 20040189823A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,607 Days
• Field of Search: 348/220.1, 348/231.99, 348/231.3, 348/231.5, 348/239, 34833301-33302, 348/333.04, 34833311- 12, 3482312- 3, 386/120
• US Class Current: 348/333.02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2112 using still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/212 Motion video recording combined with still video recording television signal recording H04N5/76
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/215 Recording a sequence of still pictures, e.g. burst mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32128 attached to the image data, e.g. file header, transmitted message header, information on the same page or in the same computer file as the image for information embedded in the image H04N1/32144
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3247 Data linking a set of images to one another, e.g. sequence, burst or continuous capture mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/772 the recording apparatus and the television camera being placed in the same enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/9205 the additional signal being at least another television signal

Abstract

A still image is photographed by a still image photographing operation performed during a moving-image photographing operation and a moving image is photographed during the moving-image photographing operation. The still image is recorded together with link information indicating the moving image to be linked with and the moving image is recorded together with link information indicating the still image to be linked with. Further, a timing information is recorded for indicating a photographing time when the still-image photographing operation is performed during the moving-image photographing operation. In an operation for reproducing the moving image, when a still image is prepared to be linked with the moving image, a still image mark M1 is displayed during a period from five seconds before to five seconds after the photographing timing. Upon manipulation during such period, the still image is displayed. In an operation for reproducing the still image, when a moving image to be linked with the still image is available, a moving image mark M2 is displayed. Upon manipulation, the moving image is reproduced from a position of the moving image corresponding to the photographing time.

Claims

1. An electronic camera comprising:

a memory for storing various sorts of data;

a simultaneous photographing unit for recording in the memory moving image data, still image data and timing information in association with each other, when a still-image photographing operation is performed at a given timing during a moving-image photographing operation, wherein the moving image data is obtained in the moving-image photographing operation, the still image data is obtained in the still-image photographing operation, and the timing information is indicative of the timing at which the still-image photographing operation is to be performed;

a moving-image reproducing unit for reproducing moving image data recorded in the memory by the simultaneous photographing unit;

a stand-by operation starting unit for displaying a notice that still image data associated with the moving image data has been found, when a reproducing position in moving image data has reached a position corresponding to the timing indicated by the timing information while the moving image data is being reproduced by the moving-image reproducing unit, and at the same time starting a stand-by operation for waiting for instructing operation by a user;

a stand-by operation performing unit for performing the stand-by operation started by the stand-by operation starting unit continuously in parallel with reproduction of moving image data by the moving-image reproducing unit;

a still-image reproduction control unit for reproducing the still image data associated with the moving image data, when the user has performed instructing operation while the stand-by operation is being performed by the stand-by-operation performing unit;

a stand-by operation ceasing unit for controlling the still-image reproduction control unit not to reproduce the still image data associated with the moving image data, and the stand-by operation starting unit to cease displaying the notice that still image data associated with the moving image data has been found, and the stand-by operation performing unit to cease performing the stand-by operation, when the user does not perform instructing operation before a first predetermined period lapses after the stand-by operation starting unit has started the stand-by operation; and

a moving-image reproduction control unit for reproducing moving image data associated with the still image data recorded in the memory by the simultaneous photographing unit, when reproduction of moving image data is instructed while the still image data recorded in the memory by the simultaneous photographing unit is being reproduced, wherein when reproduction of the moving image data is restarted after reproduction of moving image data was interrupted by the still-image reproduction control unit to perform reproduction of still image data, the moving-image reproduction control unit starts reproduction of the moving image data from a reproducing position corresponding to the timing indicated by the timing information regardless of whether a position at which the still-image reproduction control unit interrupts reproduction of the moving image data corresponds to any position corresponding to a time falling within the first predetermined period.

2. The electronic camera according to claim 1, wherein the stand-by operation starting unit starts the stand-by operation, when a reproducing position in moving image data has reached a position corresponding to a time from which a second predetermined time lapses to reach a position corresponding to the timing indicated by the timing information while the moving image data is being reproduced by the moving-image reproducing unit.

3. The electronic camera according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the stand-by operation ceasing unit ceases the stand-by operation, when a reproducing position in moving image data has reached a position corresponding to a time from which a third predetermined time lapses after reaching a position corresponding to the timing indicated by the timing information while the moving image data is being reproduced by the moving-image reproducing unit.

4. The electronic camera according to claim 1, wherein the first predetermined period is a period of several seconds.

5. The electronic camera according to claim 1, wherein the moving-image reproduction control unit starts reproduction of the moving image data from a reproducing position corresponding to the timing indicated by the timing information, when the moving image data associated with the still image data is reproduced.

6. The electronic camera according to claim 1, wherein the moving-image reproduction control unit comprises a moving-image advising unit for giving notice that moving image data associated with the still image data is available, while the still image data is being reproduced, wherein the moving-image reproduction control unit reproduces moving image data associated with the still image data, when the user gives an instruction for reproduction of moving image data upon confirmation of the notice of the moving-image advising unit.

7. The electronic camera according to claim 6, wherein the stand-by operation starting unit displays a still image mark to give notice that still image data is available, and the moving-image advising unit displays a moving image mark different from the still image mark to give notice that moving image data is available.

8. The electronic camera according to claim 6, wherein the stand-by operation starting unit and the moving-image advising unit display other image data associated with image data which is being reproduced, together with said image data which is being reproduced, thereby giving said notice.

9. The electronic camera according to claim 6, further comprising:

a simultaneous reproducing unit for reproducing plural sorts of image data including moving image data and still image data, simultaneously, wherein

the stand-by operation starting unit and the moving-image advising unit display a notice indicating whether simultaneously photographed images corresponding respectively to images which are being reproduced simultaneously by the simultaneous reproducing unit are available or not.

10. The electronic camera according to claim 6, wherein, when a plurality of images are photographed and recorded simultaneously with image data which is being reproduced, the stand-by operation starting unit and the moving-image advising unit give notice to that effect.

11. The electronic camera according to claim 1, wherein, when still-image photographing operation has being performed during moving-image photographing operation, the simultaneous photographing unit associates moving image data with still image data using either one of file names and information indicating times when photographing operations are performed, and records the data associated with each other in the memory, wherein the moving image data is obtained in the moving-image photographing operation, and the still image data is obtained in the still-image photographing operation, and the file names are used for recording the moving image data and still image data.

12. A computer readable medium having a computer program recorded thereon, the computer program comprising a set of instructions when executed by a computer to operate as an electronic camera for photographing, recording and reproducing moving and still image data, the electronic camera comprising:

a simultaneous photographing unit for recording in a memory moving image data, still image data and timing information in association with each other, when a still-image photographing operation is performed at a given timing during a moving-image photographing operation, wherein the moving image data is obtained in the moving-image photographing operation, the still image data is obtained in the still-image photographing operation, and the timing information is indicative of the timing at which the still-image photographing operation is to be performed;

a moving-image reproducing unit for reproducing moving image data recorded in the memory by the simultaneous photographing unit;

a stand-by operation starting unit for displaying a notice that still image data associated with the moving image data has been found, when a reproducing position in moving image data has reached a position corresponding to the timing indicated by the timing information while the moving image data is being reproduced by the moving-image reproducing unit, and at the same time starting a stand-by operation for waiting for instructing operation by a user;

a stand-by operation performing unit for performing the stand-by operation started by the stand-by operation starting unit continuously in parallel with reproduction of moving image data by the moving-image reproducing unit;

a still-image reproduction control unit for reproducing the still image data associated with the moving image data, when the user has performed instructing operation while the stand-by operation is being performed by the stand-by operation performing unit;

a stand-by operation ceasing unit for controlling the still-image reproduction control unit not to reproduce the still image data associated with the moving image data, and the stand-by operation starting unit to cease displaying the notice that still image data associated with the moving image data has been found, and the stand-by operation performing unit to cease performing the stand-by operation, when the user does not perform instructing operation before a first predetermined period lapses after the stand-by operation starting unit has started the stand-by operation; and

a moving-image reproduction control unit for reproducing moving image data associated with the still image data recorded in the memory by the simultaneous photographing unit, when reproduction of moving image data is instructed while the still image data recorded in the memory by the simultaneous photographing unit is being reproduced, wherein when reproduction of the moving image data is restarted after production of moving image data was interrupted by the still-image reproduction control unit to perform reproduction of still image data, the moving-image reproduction control unit starts reproduction of the moving image data from a reproducing position corresponding to the timing indicated by the timing information regardless of whether a position at which the still-image reproduction control unit interrupts reproduction of the moving image data corresponds to any position corresponding to a time falling within the first predetermined period.