IMAGING APPARATUS AND START-UP METHOD OF IMAGING APPARATUS

• US 20100275002A1
• Filed: 03/31/2010
• Published: 10/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: NIIZATO, Manabu
• Granted Patent: US 8,370,616 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/2
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00885 Power supply means, e.g. arrangements for the control of power supply to the apparatus or components thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00899 Detection of supply level or supply failure
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00928 Initialisation or control of normal start-up or shut-down, i.e. non failure or error related
• 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 1/32358 using picture signal storage, e.g. at transmitter H04N1/17 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32561 using a programmed control device, e.g. a microprocessor
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32593 Using a plurality of controllers, e.g. for controlling different interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0084 Digital still camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3288 Storage of two or more complete document pages or image frames
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3295 Deletion of stored data; Preventing such deletion

Abstract

An imaging apparatus includes: an imaging processing unit configured to image a subject and output imaging data; a temporary storage medium configured to temporarily store the imaging data output from the imaging processing unit; an imaging control unit configured to control the imaging processing unit; a storage control unit configured to store, in a storage medium detachably mounted to a device main unit, the imaging data temporarily stored in the temporary storage medium; and a request unit configured to request the device main unit for execution of start-up processing; wherein, upon the start-up processing being requested from the request unit, start-up processing of the imaging control unit and the storage control unit are executed in parallel.

Claims

1. An imaging apparatus comprising:

an imaging processing unit configured to image a subject and output imaging data;

a temporary storage medium configured to temporarily store said imaging data output from said imaging processing unit;

an imaging control unit configured to control said imaging processing unit;

a storage control unit configured to store, in a storage medium detachably mounted to a device main unit, said imaging data temporarily stored in said temporary storage medium; and

a request unit configured to request said device main unit for execution of start-up processing;

wherein, upon said start-up processing being requested from said request unit, start-up processing of said imaging control unit and said storage control unit are executed in parallel.

2. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a display unit configured to display an image; and

a display control unit configured to control said display unit;

wherein, upon said start-up processing being requested from said request unit, start-up processing of said imaging control unit, said storage control unit, and said display control unit, are executed in parallel.

3. The imaging apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising:

another temporary storage medium configured to temporarily store image data generated by performing developing processing based on said imaging data;

wherein said storage control unit includes

a developing control unit configured to perform developing processing based on said imaging data so as to generate said imaging data, and also temporarily store said imaging data in said other temporary storage medium, and

a saving control unit configured to perform saving processing of said image data temporarily stored in said other temporary storage medium, and store in said storage medium;

and wherein, upon said start-up processing being requested from said request unit, start-up processing of said imaging control unit, said developing control unit, said saving control unit, and said display control unit, are executed in parallel.

4. The imaging apparatus according to claim 3, wherein, upon said start-up processing being requested from said request unit, start-up processing of at least said imaging control unit, and said saving control unit, are executed in parallel.

5. The imaging apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising:

an imaging request unit configured to input image requests of said subject; and

a battery configured to supply power for operations;

wherein said imaging control unit operates such that,

in the event that the remaining battery amount of said battery is equal to or above a predetermined threshold at the point of ending start-up processing of said imaging control unit, said imaging control unit starts reception of input for said imaging requests from said imaging request unit at the point of ending start-up processing of said imaging control unit, and

in the event that the remaining battery amount of said battery is lower than said threshold at the point of ending start-up processing of said imaging control unit, said imaging control unit starts reception of input for said imaging requests from said imaging request unit at said point of ending start-up processing of said saving control unit which ends after the start-up processing of said imaging control unit.

6. The imaging apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising:

imaging data protection non-volatile memory configured to temporarily store said imaging data for data protection; and

image data protection non-volatile memory configured to temporarily store said image data for data protection.

7. The imaging apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said temporary storage medium is configured of said imaging data protection non-volatile memory;

and wherein said other temporary storage medium is configured of said image data protection non-volatile memory.

8. An imaging apparatus start-up method comprising the steps of:

performing, in parallel, start-up processing of

an imaging control unit configured to control an imaging processing unit configured to image a subject and output imaging data upon execution of startup processing being requested from a requesting unit which requests said imaging apparatus for execution of start-up processing, and

a storage control unit configured to store, in a storage medium detachably mounted to said imaging apparatus, said imaging data temporarily stored in said temporary storage medium.