Image pickup device for connection to an external record device

• US 8,531,552 B2
• Filed: 01/14/2011
• Issued: 09/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Senda, Ayumi
• Primary Examiner(s): VILLECCO, JOHN M
• Application Number:
  US13/006,800
• Publication Number:
  US 20110169967A1
• Time in Patent Office: 970 Days
• Field of Search: 348/231.2, 348/231.8, 348/231.1, 348/231.3, 348/231.9
• US Class Current: 348/231.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00127 Connection or combination of a still picture apparatus with another apparatus, e.g. for storage, processing or transmission of still picture signals or of information associated with a still picture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00901 Using different supplies or connection to an external supply H04N1/00893, H04N1/00896 take precedence
• 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 2201/001 Sharing resources, e.g. processing power or memory, with a connected apparatus or enhancing the capability of the still picture apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0036 Detecting or checking connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0041 Point to point H04N2201/0039 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0058 Docking-station, cradle or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0084 Digital still camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/214 Checking or indicating the storage space
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/216 Arrangements for recording on different types of storage medium, e.g. IC card or magnetic tape; Recording on a plurality of storage media
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3288 Storage of two or more complete document pages or image frames
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3298 Checking or indicating the storage space
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/77 between a recording apparatus and a television camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/781 on disks or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/907 using static stores, e.g. storage tubes or semiconductor memories H04N5/91 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/7921 for more than one processing mode

Abstract

Charging of a camera and backup of data are concurrently executed to enable picking up an image regardless of a remaining available memory. As the camera is attached to a cradle, image data for the image picked up by a camera module of the camera is directly transferred to and recorded in a HDD of the cradle. Image data, already recorded in the flash memory of the camera, is backed up by the HDD of the cradle. Further, the cradle allows a charging circuit to charge a rechargeable battery of the camera using electric power supplied via an AC cord. Also, the cradle has a tripod bore through which the camera is fixed to a tripod for picking up the image.

Claims

1. An image processing apparatus, comprising:

control part which controls a first recording part and a second recording part to record image data based on an image picking up of an image pickup part; and

switching part which switches a destination to record;

wherein the control part controls the second recording part to record in the second recording part second image data with a different identifier from first image data recorded in the first recording part, when the switching part switches the destination from the first recording part to the second recording part during the control part controlling the first recording part to record the first image data,

wherein the second image data is in temporal continuity with the first image data, and

wherein the control part controls the second recording part to record in the second recording part consolidated image data obtained by consolidating the first image data recorded in the second recording part, the first image data being transferred to the second recording part concurrently with the recording of the second image data in the second recording part, and the second image data.

2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the switching part switches the destination in accordance with a judgment that the first recording part has no adequate available memory.

3. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control part consolidates the first image data and the second image data into the consolidated image data, and provides an identifier corresponding to an identifier of the first image data to the consolidated image data.

4. An image processing method comprising:

controlling a first recording part and a second recording part to record image data based on an image picking up of an image pickup part;

switching a destination to record;

wherein the controlling includes controlling the second recording part to record in the second recording part second image data with a different identifier from first image data recorded in the first recording part, when the switching part switches the destination from the first recording part to the second recording part during the controlling of the first recording part to record the first image data, and

wherein the second image data is in temporal continuity with the first image data; and

controlling the second recording part to record in the second recording part consolidated image obtained by consolidating the first image data recorded in the second recording part, the first image data being transferred to the second recording part concurrently with the recording of the second image data in the second recording part, and the second image data.

5. A non-transitory recording medium recorded with a computer-readable program executable by a computer for enabling the computer to perform image processing, the program comprising the steps of, comprising:

controlling a first recording part and a second recording part to record image data based on an image picking up of an image pickup part;

switching a destination to record;

wherein the controlling includes controlling the second recording part to record in the second recording part second image data with a different identifier from first image data recorded in the first recording part, when the switching part switches the destination from the first recording part to the second recording part during the controlling of the first recording part to record the first image data,

wherein the second image data is in temporal continuity with the first image data; and

controlling the second recording part to record in the second recording part consolidated image obtained by consolidating the first image data recorded in the second recording part, the first image data being transferred to the second recording part concurrently with the recording of the second image data in the second recording part, and the second image data.