Digital camera with a plurality of media for recording captured images

• US 6,992,711 B2
• Filed: 12/18/2000
• Issued: 01/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Minolta Corporation Limited (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Minolta Corporation Limited (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Inventors: Kubo, Hiroaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Thai
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hannett, James M.
• Application Number:
  US09/739,141
• Publication Number:
  US 20010012064A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,870 Days
• Field of Search: 384/231.7, 384/231.8, 384/231.9
• US Class Current: 348/231.7
• 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 1/215 Recording a sequence of still pictures, e.g. burst mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• 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 2201/218 Deletion of stored data; Preventing such deletion

Abstract

A digital camera reduces the possibility that a user'"'"'s release operation is disabled and performs photographing operations at the appropriate times. The digital camera (1) can load a memory card (40a) and a magnetic disk card (40b) as a plurality of recording media, wherein a CPU (17) can independently make accesses to the memory card (40a) and the magnetic disk card (40b). The CPU (17) performs a plurality of tasks in parallel, whereby a captured image is recorded on either one of the memory card (40a) and the magnetic disk card (40b) while predetermined processing is performed on the other. In such a configuration, a captured image which is stored in image memory (21) through a photographing operation can be recorded at an early stage on one of the recording media. This enables continuous photographing and the like even in such a condition that recording on a recording medium which is selected as a subject of recording is not allowed.

Claims

1. A digital camera, comprising:

a plurality of media provided for recording and storing a captured image generated in response to a photographing operation; and

a controller capable of performing a plurality of tasks in parallel, said controller when performing a first task to record said captured image on a medium which is selected as a subject of recording out of said plurality of media, performing a second task which is different from said first task to perform predetermined processing on a medium which is not said subject of recording,

wherein said predetermined processing is formatting of a medium which is not said subject of recording.

3. The digital camera according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of media include media employing magnetic recording and media employing a semiconductor memory.

2. A digital camera comprising:

a plurality of slots capable of loading a plurality of media for recording and storing a captured image generated in response to a photographing operation; and

a controller capable of performing a plurality of tasks in parallel, said controller when performing a first task to record said captured image on a medium which is selected as a subject of recording out of said plurality of media loaded in said plurality of tasks, performing a second task which is different from said first task to perform predetermined processing on a medium which is not said subject of recording,

wherein said predetermined processing is formatting of a medium which is not said subject of recording.

4. The digital camera according to claim 2, wherein the plurality of media include media employing magnetic recording and media employing a semiconductor memory.