Image pickup device with still picture pickup function during moving picture pickup operation

• US 7,432,957 B2
• Filed: 11/25/2003
• Issued: 10/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Beijing Xiaomi Mobile Software Co., Ltd. (Xiaomi Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Casio Computer Company Limited
• Inventors: Yokoi, Makoto
• Primary Examiner(s): Ometz, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Le, Tuan H
• Application Number:
  US10/722,734
• Publication Number:
  US 20040109067A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,778 Days
• Field of Search: 348/349, 348/354, 348/220.1, 348/231.9, 348/231.99, 348/231.1, 348/231.8, 348/231.2, 348/222.1
• US Class Current: 348/220.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/66 Remote control of cameras or camera parts, e.g. by remote control devices

Abstract

An image pickup device is equipped with a function to a pickup still picture during a moving picture pickup operation with voices. After a moving picture pickup processing with voices is started (YES in S2), a moving picture recording processing and a voice recording processing are started (S14). Subsequently, when a shutter button is depressed halfway (YES in S16), the moving picture recording processing is switched to a processing to store substitute frames, which are a copy of frame data immediately preceding the half depression operation of the shutter button, instead of moving picture frames imaged in moving picture frame cycles (step S20), and a still picture pickup processing is performed. After the still picture pickup processing ends, the normal moving picture recording processing is resumed. When a picture recording end button is operated (YES in S17), a moving picture file with voices is created from frame data, which includes substitute frames, and voice data, both of which are accumulated and stored in a buffer memory (S18). As a result, even thought the moving picture pickup operation is interrupted, moving pictures can be recorded as a single moving picture file.

Claims

1. An image pickup device comprising:

an imaging section that executes a moving picture pickup processing and a still picture pickup processing;

a voice recording section that executes a voice recording processing in parallel with the moving picture pickup processing;

a moving picture with voice pickup controlling section that executes a processing for picking up a moving picture with a voice during a period between a time when an instruction is given to start picking up a moving picture with a voice and a time when an instruction is given to terminate picking up a moving picture pickup with a voice, wherein the processing for picking up a moving picture with a voice includes the moving picture pickup processing to be executed by the imaging section and the voice recording processing to be executed by the voice recording section;

an interrupt processing section that sequentially executes a processing to suspend the moving picture pickup processing by the imaging section, a processing to pickup a still picture by the imaging section, and a processing to resume the moving picture pickup processing by the imaging section, when an instruction is given to execute a still picture pickup while the processing for picking up a moving picture with a voice is being executed; and

a voice recording controlling section that terminates the voice recording processing executed by the voice recording section at the time of termination of the moving picture pickup processing by the imaging section, when the moving picture pickup processing by the imaging section is terminated in response to an instruction that is given to terminate the processing for picking up a moving picture with a voice while the processing for picking up a moving picture with a voice is being executed, and that keeps the voice recording section keep executing the voice recording processing, when the moving picture pickup processing by the imaging section is suspended in response to an instruction that is given by the interrupt processing section to execute a still picture pickup.

2. An image pickup device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a moving picture file creation section that creates a single moving picture file that includes moving picture frames obtained through the moving picture processing executed before the still picture pickup processing by the imaging section, and moving picture frames obtained through the moving picture pickup processing resumed after the still picture pickup processing; and

a recording section that stores the single moving picture file created by the moving picture file creation section, correlated with voice data obtained through the voice recording processing executed by the voice recording section.

3. An image pickup device according to claim 1, further comprising a resumption instruction section that instructs to resume the moving picture pickup processing by the imaging section, wherein the interrupt processing section executes a processing to resume the moving picture pickup processing by the imaging section, when the resumption instruction section instructs to resume the moving picture pickup processing by the imaging section after the still picture pickup processing is completed.

4. An image pickup device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a moving picture file creation section that creates a single moving picture file that includes moving picture frames obtained through the moving picture processing executed before the still picture pickup processing by the imaging section, and moving picture frames obtained through the moving picture pickup processing resumed after the still picture pickup processing; and

a recording section that records the single moving picture file created by the moving picture file creation section.

5. An image pickup device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a substitute frame creation section that creates the substitute frames using moving picture frames obtained through the moving picture pickup processing executed immediately before the moving picture pickup processing is suspended, wherein the substitute frames are used to substitute for moving picture frames missing due to suspension of the moving picture pickup processing; and

a moving picture file creating section that creates a moving picture file including the substitute frames created by the substitute frame creation section.

6. An image pickup device according to claim 1, further comprising a synchronizing control section that synchronizes a start timing to resume the moving picture pickup processing by the imaging section with a moving picture frame pickup cycle of the moving picture pickup processing conducted before the moving picture pickup processing is suspended.

7. An image pickup device according to claim 1, further comprising a timer section that measures the time elapsed since the processing to suspend the moving picture pickup processing is executed by the interrupt processing section, a judging section that judges whether or not the time measured by the timer section has reached a predetermined time before the processing to resume the moving picture pickup processing by the interrupt processing section is executed, and a predetermined processing execution section that executes a predetermined processing when the judging section determines that the predetermined time has been reached.

8. An image pickup device according to claim 7, further comprising an image pickup instruction section that instructs to pickup a still picture, wherein the predetermined processing execution section executes a notice processing to urge an instruction to pickup a still picture by the image pickup instruction section.

9. An image pickup device according to claim 7, wherein the predetermined processing execution section causes the interrupt processing section to forcefully execute the processing to resume the moving picture pickup processing by the interrupt processing section.

10. An image pickup device according to claim 1, wherein the interrupt processing section executes the still picture pickup processing a plurality of times during a period starting when the processing to suspend the moving picture pickup processing is executed until the processing to resume the moving picture pickup processing is executed.

11. An image pickup device according to claim 10, wherein the interrupt processing section limits the maximum execution number of the still picture pickup processing that is executed during a period starting when the processing to suspend the moving picture pickup processing is executed until the processing to resume the moving picture pickup processing is executed.

12. An image pickup device according to claim 11, wherein the interrupt processing section includes a section that forcefully executes the processing to resume the moving picture pickup processing, when the number of execution of the still picture pickup processings has reached the maximum execution number.

13. An image pickup device according to claim 10, further comprising an image pickup instruction section that instructs to pickup a still picture, wherein, when the image pickup instruction section repeatedly instructs to pickup still pictures, the interrupt processing section repeatedly executes the still picture pickup processing during a period starting when the processing to suspend the moving picture pickup processing is executed until the processing to resume the moving picture pickup processing is executed.

14. An image pickup device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a synchronization control section that synchronizes a start timing for resuming the moving picture pickup processing by the imaging section with a moving picture frame pickup cycle of the moving picture pickup processing taking place before the moving picture pickup processing is suspended.

15. An image pickup device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a timer section that measures a time elapsed since the execution of the processing to suspend the moving picture pickup processing by the interrupt processing section;

a judging section that determines whether the elapsed time measured by the timer section has reached a predetermined length of time before the processing to resume the moving picture pickup processing is executed by the interrupt processing section; and

a predetermined processing execution section that executes a predetermined processing if the judging section determines that the predetermined length of time has been reached.

16. An imaging device according to claim 1, wherein the interrupt processing section executes the still picture pickup processing a plurality of times during a period between the time the processing to suspend the moving picture pickup processing is executed and the time the processing to resume the moving picture pickup processing is executed.

17. An image pickup device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a substitute frame creation section that creates substitute frames using moving picture frames obtained in the moving picture pickup processing executed immediately after the moving picture pickup processing has been resumed.

18. An image pickup device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a substitute frame creation section that combines a plurality of moving picture frames obtained in the moving picture pickup processing to create the substitute frames.

19. An image pickup device according to claim 18, further comprising:

a substitute frame creation section that combines a plurality of moving picture frames obtained in the moving picture pickup processing at a predetermined rate to create the substitute frames, and

a moving picture file creation section that creates a moving picture file such that moving picture frames substituting for missing moving picture frames change in a stepwise fashion.

20. An image pickup device according to claim 1, wherein the moving picture with voice pickup controlling section makes the imaging section execute the moving picture pickup processing on each moving picture frame at a predetermined frame rate and makes the voice recording section convert a voice entered through a microphone into voice data.

21. An image pickup device according to claim 20, wherein the moving picture with voice pickup controlling section separates the voice data into separated voice data for each moving picture frame, thereby recording the separated voice data in synchronization with each moving picture frame.

22. An image pickup device according to claim 21, wherein the moving picture with voice pickup controlling section brings the separated voice data and respective moving picture frames into synchronization with each other based on time information attached to the moving picture frames.

23. An image pickup device according to claim 1, further comprising an inhibition section that inhibits outputting of a notice sound and a semi-shutter sound in the still picture pickup processing, when the interrupt processing section makes the imaging section execute the still picture pickup processing, while the moving picture with voice pickup controlling section is executing the processing for picking up a moving picture with a voice.

24. An imaging method for an image pickup device with a function of picking-up still images during a moving picture pickup operation, the imaging method comprising:

a step of executing a moving picture pickup processing and a still picture pickup processing;

a step of executing a voice recording processing in parallel with the moving picture pickup processing;

a step of executing a processing for picking up a moving picture with a voice during a period between a time when an instruction is given to start picking up a moving picture with a voice and a time when an instruction is given to terminate picking up a moving picture pickup with a voice, wherein the processing for picking up a moving picture with a voice includes the moving picture pickup processing and the voice recording processing;

a step of sequentially executing a processing of suspending the moving picture pickup processing, a still picture pickup processing, and a processing of resuming the moving picture pickup processing, when an instruction is given to execute a still picture pickup while the processing for picking up a moving picture with a voice is being executed; and

a step of terminating the voice recording processing at the time of termination of the moving picture pickup processing, when the moving picture pickup processing is terminated in response to an instruction that is given to terminate the processing for picking up a moving picture with a voice while the processing for picking up a moving picture with a voice is being executed, and continuously executing the voice recording processing, when the moving picture pickup is suspended in response to an instruction that is given to execute a still picture pickup.

25. A computer program product stored on a computer readable medium for controlling operation of a computer, the computer readable medium mounted on an image pickup device with a function of picking-up still images during a moving picture pickup operation, the computer program product for making the computer implement an imaging method, wherein the method comprises:

a step of executing a moving picture pickup processing and a still picture pickup processing;

a step of executing a voice recording processing in parallel with the moving picture pickup processing;

a step of executing a processing for picking up a moving picture with a voice during a period between a time when an instruction is given to start picking up a moving picture with a voice and a time when an instruction is given to terminate picking up a moving picture pickup with a voice, wherein the processing for picking up a moving picture with a voice includes the moving picture pickup processing and the voice recording processing;

a step of sequentially executing a processing of suspending the moving picture pickup processing, a still picture pickup processing, and a processing of resuming the moving picture pickup processing, when an instruction is given to execute a still picture pickup while the processing for picking up a moving picture with a voice is being executed; and

a step of terminating the voice recording processing at the time of termination of the moving picture pickup processing, when the moving picture pickup processing is terminated in response to an instruction that is given to terminate the processing for picking up a moving picture with a voice while the processing for picking up a moving picture with a voice is being executed, and continuously executing the voice recording processing, when the moving picture pickup is suspended in response to an instruction that is given to execute a still picture pickup.