Abstract:
An image data recording apparatus includes an area producing device producing a plurality of areas on a recording medium, an initialization device initializing the areas produced by the area producing device in accordance with desired forms, an area production designating device causing a user to designate a number of the areas produced by the area producing device and a recording capacity of each of the areas, and a format designating device causing the user to designate a kind of a format of each of the areas produced by the area producing device.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention relates to an image data recording apparatus, an initialization method of a recording medium by the image data recording apparatus, and a computer program. According to the present invention, a user is let to specify the number of areas to be produced, the recording capacity of each of those areas, and the kind of the format of each of those areas, thereby initializing the specified areas in desired forms.  
         [0003]     Specifically, the present invention relates to an image data recording apparatus such as a digital camera recording photographed digital moving image data and still image data on a recording medium, an initialization method of a recording medium by the image data recording apparatus, and a computer program.  
         [0004]     2. Description of Related Art  
         [0005]     In recent years, the enlargement of the capacity of a detachable recording medium such as a memory card used for a digital camera and the like has been progressing. It is considerable that, when the enlargement of the capacity of a storage medium has progressed, all of the recording capacity of a memory card cannot be used in case that the memory card is in conformity with the formats of File Allocation Table (FAT)  12  and FAT  16 , which are generally used now.  
         [0006]     There is FAT  32  as a format capable of treating mass capacity data. However, it is considerable that, when a storage medium is formatted in accordance with FAT  32  for treating the whole recording capacity of a memory card, it becomes impossible to use the storage medium by an existing digital camera.  
         [0007]     Accordingly, a method of enabling the use of the whole recording capacity of a memory card while maintaining compatibility with the existing digital camera has been proposed. This method uses a technique of dividing a recording medium into a plurality of areas (partitions) to format each partition in accordance with a format different from each other, which technique is generally performed to a hard disc built in a personal computer and the like. Using this technique, a top partition is formatted in accordance with FAT  12  or FAT  16 , which the existing digital camera can recognize, and the other partitions are formatted in accordance with a format such as FAT  32  capable of treating a mass capacity. Consequently, several types of formats are intermingled in one storage medium.  
         [0008]     However, in case of adopting this method, it is expectable that a general user would be confused in combination of the recording capacity and the format form of each partition at the initialization of the recording medium.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0009]     The present invention is for solving the problem mentioned above, and aims to enable the initialization according to a use without making a user be confused in case of producing a plurality of partitions on a recording medium to intermingle a plurality of kinds of formats thereon.  
         [0010]     In order to attain such an object, according to a scope of the present invention, an image data recording apparatus of the present invention comprises: 
        an area producing device, which produces a plurality of areas on a recording medium;     an initialization device, which produces the areas produced by the area producing device in accordance with desired forms;     an area production designating device, which causes a user to designate a number of the areas produced by the area producing device and a recording capacity of each of the areas; and     a format designating device, which causes the user to designate a kind of a format of each of the areas produced by the area producing device.       
 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0015]     The object of the present invention described above will be apparent from the following drawings and detailed descriptions based on the drawings, in which:  
         [0016]      FIG. 1  is a view showing the schematic configuration of a digital camera to which the present invention is applied;  
         [0017]      FIG. 2  is a flowchart showing a processing operation at the time of initializing a memory card;  
         [0018]      FIG. 3  is a view showing an example of a displayed screen of a system setting menu;  
         [0019]      FIGS. 4A and 4B  are views showing examples of a selection screen of an initialization method in the case where the level of the degree of difficulty of a menu is set to be “normal”; and  
         [0020]      FIG. 5  is a view showing an example of the selection screen of the initialization method in the case where the level of the degree of difficulty of the menu is set to be “expansion”. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0021]     Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.  
         [0022]     Hereinafter, with reference to the attached drawings, a suitable embodiment of the present invention will be described.  FIG. 1  is a view showing the schematic configuration of a digital camera to which the present invention is applied. Reference numeral  100  denotes a lens. Reference numeral  101  denotes a CCD converting an image entered through the lens  100  to an electric signal. Reference numeral  102  denotes a signal processing circuit converting the signal obtained from the CCD  101  to desired image data.  
         [0023]     Reference numeral  103  denotes a CPU controlling the whole system. Reference numeral  104  denotes a controller for inputting an operation command to the CPU  103 . A four-way operational key, a determination button and the like for a user to operate the digital camera are arranged on the controller  104 . Reference numeral  105  denotes a memory card control circuit. The memory card control circuit  105  controls a communication protocol with a memory card  106 , and accesses the memory card  106  in accordance with the control of the CPU  103  to perform the writing and the reading of data.  
         [0024]     The reference numeral  106  denotes the memory card detachable to a memory cartridge. Reference numeral  107  denotes an on-screen display (OSD) circuit. The OSD circuit  107  displays a menu using a character and a picture, and the like on a monitor  108  in accordance with the control of the CPU  103 , and provides a user interface together with the controller  104 . The reference numeral  108  denotes the monitor.  
         [0025]      FIG. 2  is a flowchart showing a processing operation of the CPU  103  at the time of initializing the memory card  106 . When the CPU  103  receives a user&#39;s operation from the controller  104  and the CPU  103  starts the initialization processing of the memory card  106 , the CPU  103  controls the memory card control circuit  105  to obtain the recording capacity of the memory card  106  (Step S 201 ).  
         [0026]     Next, the CPU  103  discriminates the level of the degree of the difficulty of the menu which the user has chosen and set from two selection items of “normal” and “expansion” in advance (Step S 202 ).  
         [0027]     When the level of the degree of the difficulty of the menu is discriminated to be “normal” at Step S 202 , the CPU  103  discriminates whether the recording capacity of the memory card  106  is less than a recording capacity manageable by a format compatible with the format of the existing digital camera such as FAT  12  or FAT  16  or not (Step S 203 ).  
         [0028]     When the recording capacity of the memory card  106  is less than the recording capacity manageable by, for example, FAT  16  at Step S 203 , the CPU  103  generates only a selection item for initializing the whole in conformity with FAT  16  (Step S 204 ). Although the name “FAT  16 ” may be used, as it is, as a name of the selection item shown to the user in that case, it is also possible to avoid the technical term and use a name abstracting a use such as a “compatible format.” 
         [0029]     On the other hand, when the recording capacity of the memory card  106  exceeds the recording capacity manageable by the format compatible with the format of the existing digital camera such as FAT  12  or FAT  16  at Step S 203 , the processing of the CPU  103  proceeds to Step S 205 . At Step S 205 , two selection items of formats, a selection item  1  and a selection item  2 , are prepared as an initialization candidate list.  
         [0030]     Here, for example, the selection item  1  is a selection item initializing the whole in conformity with an expanded format such as FAT  32 . On the other hand, the selection item  2  is a selection item selecting the interminglement of the compatible and expansion intermingling format in which the whole is divided into two partitions, a first partition securing the maximum recording capacitance manageable by FAT  16  and being initialized by FAT  16 , and the other partition being initialized by FAT  32 .  
         [0031]     When the preparation of the selection items has been completed, the CPU  103  controls the OSD circuit  107  to make the OSD circuit  107  display the initialization candidate list on the monitor  108  to causes the user to select a selection item (Step S 206 ).  
         [0032]     On the other hand, when the level of the degree of the difficulty of the menu is discriminated to be “expansion” at Step S 202 , the user sets a size (recording capacity) of the partition assigned from the top of the recording capacity of the memory card  106  (Step S 207 ). Moreover, the user sets the format form of the partition (Step S 208 ). After that, when the setting is made to the full recording capacity of the memory card  106  or the user instructes the termination of the setting, the CPU judges whether the setting has been made up to the last partition or not (Step S 209 ). When the setting has not been made up to the last partition yet, the CPU  103  repeats processing of returning to Step S 207  to set the size of the succeeding partition and then set the format form of the succeeding partition at Step S 208 .  
         [0033]     When the recording capacity and the kind of the format of each partition have been set, each partition is produced to have a designated recording capacity in the order from the top (Step S 210 ), and the CPU  103  formats each partition in conformity with the designated form (Step S 211 ). After that, the CPU  103  judges whether the processing has been completed up to the last partition among the set ones or not (Step S 212 ). When the processing has not been completed yet, the CPU  103  repeats processing of returning to Step S 210  to produce a partition of a successively designated recording capacity and then format the partition at Step S 211 .  
         [0034]     When it is judged that the processing has been completed up to the last partition at Step S 212 , all processing is terminated.  
         [0035]      FIG. 3  shows a state in which a system setting menu  301  is displayed on the monitor  108  by the OSD circuit  107 . Although the level of the degree of the difficulty of the menu is discriminated at Step S 202  of  FIG. 2 , since the level of the degree of the difficulty of the menu is applicable not only especially to the initialization of the memory card  106  but also to a change of the other menus, the level of the degree of the difficulty of the menu can be effectively utilized by making it possible to set the level of the degree of the difficulty of the menu independently of the menu related to the memory card  106 .  
         [0036]     When the user selects a menu level item  302  in  FIG. 3 , the CPU  103  displays a selection item  303  for setting the level of the degree of the difficulty of the menu to be the “normal”, and a selection item  304  for selecting the level of the degree of the difficulty of the menu to be the “expansion”. Then, the user selects one item among them to set. In addition, movements and determinations of the menu items can be performed with the button arranged on the controller  104  or the like. Dashed line frames show non-selected items, and solid line frames show selected items in  FIG. 3 .  FIG. 3  shows a state in which the “normal” level is selected. In addition, although the level of the degree of the difficulty of the menu is displayed as one item of the system setting menu  301  in the example of  FIG. 3 , it is also possible to put the level of the degree of the difficulty of the menu in the items other than the system setting menu  301 . Moreover, it is also possible to provide a special key on the controller  104  and display a user interface enabling the direct selection of the level of the degree of difficulty of the menu with the key.  
         [0037]      FIGS. 4A and 4B  show selection screens of the initialization method when the level of the degree of the difficulty of the menu is set as the “normal.” When an initialization item  402  of a card operation menu  401  is selected in  FIG. 4A  in the case where the level of the degree of the difficulty of the menu is beforehand set to be the “normal” using the user interface shown in  FIG. 3 , the processing of the CPU  103  proceeds to the processing of performing the “normal” judgment at Step S 202  of  FIG. 2 .  
         [0038]     The processing of the CPU  103  proceeds to Step S 205  of  FIG. 2  in a case of using a memory card having a mass capacity which cannot be managed by a format compatible with the existing digital camera such as FAT  16 . In this case, the selection screen is one shown in  FIG. 4B . This screen shows, as the selection items, an expanded format item  403  indicating the initialization by a format such as FAT  32  capable of treating a mass capacity so that the entire recording capacity of the memory card  106  is used one partition, and an item  404  indicating the interminglement of a compatible format and an expansion format, where a top partition is formatted by FAT  16  and the residual partition is formatted by FAT  32 , after dividing the entire recording capacity of the memory card  106  into the two partitions of the top partition and the residual partition.  
         [0039]     Although the two selection items of the item  403  and the item  404  described above are generated and displayed as the initialization candidate list in the present embodiment, the present invention is not limited to the display mode of the selection items. In addition, for example, a selection item for securing only a partition of the maximum area manageable by FAT  16 , and for leaving the remainder as it is may be displayed. Moreover, a selection item may be displayed in which, even if two partitions are produced, the ratio of each recording capacity is calculated from the entire recording capacity in conformity with a fixed rule, and the entire capacity is divided at the ratio to be formatted by FAT  16  and FAT  32 , respectively. Moreover, a selection item for producing many partitions of recording capacity manageable by FAT  16  to have two or more partitions all formatted in conformity with FAT  16 , and a selection item for dividing an area into a plurality of partitions even for the format such as FAT  32  capable of treating a mass capacity may be also displayed as candidates.  
         [0040]     In addition, in  FIG. 4B , the item  403  is selected and a description of the initialization method is displayed in a description column  405 . The contents of the description column  405  are changed to be displayed according to the selected item, and when the item  404  is selected, the contents display the description of the initialization method.  
         [0041]      FIG. 5  shows the selection screen of the initialization method when the level of the degree of the difficulty of the menu is set as the “extension.” When the level of the degree of the difficulty of the menu is beforehand set as the “extension” by using the user interface shown in  FIG. 3 , if the initialization item  402  of the card operation menu  401  is selected in  FIG. 4A , the screen is changed as shown in  FIG. 5 , and a user interface which can designate the more detailed memory card initialization method is displayed.  
         [0042]     Here, a set capacity item  502  is selected first. When the user performs an operation in the right direction with the controller  104  from that state, a capacity setting item  504  is selected. By increasing or decreasing the numerical value by an operation in the vertical direction in this state, the size (recording capacity) of the partition to be produced can be designated.  
         [0043]     Next, the selection returns from the position of the capacity setting item  504  to the setting capacity item  502  by a leftward operation, and a format item  503  is selected by a further downward operation. Then, the selection can move to an item  505  indicating FAT  12  by a right operation, and the other items  506 - 508  can be selected by vertical operations. In addition, letters UDF in  FIG. 5  denotes Universal Disk Format.  
         [0044]     Moreover, it is also possible to display an item which cannot be set, by changing the color thereof like the item  505  in  FIG. 5  in order to show the state which indicate it is impossible to be selected, in accordance with the value of the capacity setting item  504  at the time of selecting a format method. Moreover, it is also possible to make it impossible to select by the vertical operations the position of the item in the state which indicates that it is impossible to be selected.  
         [0045]     When a setting item  509  is selected by a similar directional operation and a determination operation is performed after setting the recording capacity and the format method of a partition to be produced, one area is set, and the display of a column  501  displaying a residual capacity is changed by re-calculating a residual capacity which has not been set to the whole capacity.  
         [0046]     The recording capacity and the format form of the next partition are selected by a similar procedure, and it is possible to repeatedly set the partitions by the number of the desired partitions until there are no residual capacities. When an execution item  510  is selected and a determination operation is performed at a step at which all of the settings of each area have finished, the memory card  106  is actually initialized based on the set information.  
         [0047]     As described above, according to the present embodiment, in the case where a plurality of partitions are produced on a recording medium and a plurality of kinds of formats are intermingled, the optimal initialization method is realized according to a user&#39;s use situation. Consequently, the initialization according to a use can be performed without confusing a user.  
       Other Embodiments  
       [0048]     In addition, it is needless to say that the object of the present invention can be achieved also by supplying a storage medium recording the program codes of the software realizing the functions of the embodiment described above to a system or an apparatus, and by making a computer (a CPU or a MPU) of the system or the apparatus read the program codes stored in the storage medium to execute it.  
         [0049]     In this case, the program codes read from the storage medium realizes the function of the embodiment described above by themselves, and the program codes themselves and the storage medium storing the program codes constitute the present invention.  
         [0050]     As the storage medium for supplying the program codes, for example, a flexible disk, a hard disk, an optical disc, a magneto-optical disc, a CD-ROM, a CD-R, a magnetic tape, a non-volatile memory card, a ROM and the like can be used.  
         [0051]     Moreover, it is needless to say that the present invention includes also a case where the not only functions of the embodiment described above are realized by the execution of the read program codes with the computer, but also an OS (a basic system or an operating system) working on the computer or the like executes a part or the whole of the actual processing based on the instructions of the program codes to realize the functions of the embodiment described above by the processing.  
         [0052]     Furthermore, it is needless to say that the present invention includes a case where, after the program codes read from the storage medium has been written in a memory provided to a function enhancement board inserted in the computer or a function enhancement unit connected to the computer, the CPU or the like provided in the function enhancement board or the function enhancement unit executes a part or the whole of the actual processing based on the instructions of the program codes, and the functions of the embodiment described above are realized by the processing.  
         [0053]     In the above, although the present invention has been described based on the preferable embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various changes and modifications can be preformed within the scope of the claims.  
         [0054]     This application claims priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2004-172785 filed Jun. 10, 2004, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein.