Video camera having storage medium-equipped recorder-reproducer and control method thereof

A video camera having a recorder-reproducer, comprising an OSD IC and an LCD panel device that includes a synchronization signal separation circuit, an LCD panel, a signal line, and an LCD controller made of a horizontal synchronization separation circuit and a PLL circuit. The horizontal synchronization separation circuit separates a horizontal synchronizing signal from a composite synchronizing signal received from the synchronizing signal separation circuit. The PLL circuit generates a reproduced horizontal synchronizing signal in synchronism with the horizontal synchronizing signal separated by the horizontal synchronization separation circuit. The reproduced horizontal synchronizing signal output by the PLL circuit is fed to the LCD panel via the signal line. Although the PLL circuit is intended to supply the reproduced horizontal synchronizing signal primarily to the LCD panel, this signal is also fed to the OSD IC via a terminal and a switch.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates to a video camera having a storage 
medium-equipped recorder-reproducer and a control method for controlling 
the camera. More particularly, the invention relates to a video camera 
having a storage medium-equipped recorder-reproducer and a control method 
thereof, the camera having fewer components costing less than comparable 
conventional models. 
2. Description of the Related Art 
FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a conventional portable video camera having a 
video cassette recorder. The video cassette recorder-equipped video camera 
of FIG. 3 is constituted primarily by a video camera 31 and a video 
cassette recorder 32. The video camera 31 includes a CCD 11 for picking up 
images of objects, and a camera signal processing circuit 12 for 
processing the output of the CCD 11 and outputting a video signal 
illustratively in the NTSC format. The video camera 31 comprises a 
synchronizing signal generation circuit 13 made up of a vertical 
synchronizing signal generation circuit 14 and a horizontal synchronizing 
signal generation circuit 15. A vertical synchronizing signal (signal CAM 
VD) and a horizontal synchronizing signal (signal CAM HD) generated 
respectively by the vertical and horizontal synchronizing signal 
generation circuits 14 and 15 are supplied to the camera signal processing 
circuit 12. 
The video cassette recorder 32 comprises a cassette tape drive unit 19 that 
records on a video cassette 19A the video signal coming from the video 
camera 31 and reproduces the video signal from the video cassette 19A. The 
video signal (PB RF) reproduced and output by the cassette tape drive unit 
19 is fed to a synchronization separation circuit 18 via a contact PB of a 
switch 17 in a video IC 16. Via another contact EE of the switch 17, the 
synchronization separation circuit 18 receives the video signal (CAM Y) 
output by the camera signal processing circuit 12. 
The switch 17 is designed to select a video signal either through the 
contact PB (signal PB RF) or the contact EE (signal CAM Y) and to output 
the selected signal as a line-out signal to the cassette tape drive unit 
19 and an external device. The line-out signal is also supplied to an LCD 
panel device 2 via an adder 27 and a terminal 28. 
The synchronization separation circuit 18 separates a composite 
synchronizing signal from the video signal received via the switch 17, and 
forwards the separated composite signal to a horizontal synchronization 
separation circuit 29 and a vertical synchronization separation circuit 
21. The horizontal synchronization separation circuit 29 separates a 
horizontal synchronizing signal from the received composite synchronizing 
signal and feeds the separated signal to a PLL circuit (AFC circuit) 30. 
The PLL circuit 30 generates a reproduced horizontal synchronizing signal 
in synchronism with the received horizontal synchronizing signal, and 
outputs the signal thus generated to an OSD IC 26 via the contact PB of 
the switch 25. 
The vertical synchronization separation circuit 21 in a mechanism control 
microcomputer 20 separates a vertical horizontal synchronizing signal from 
the received composite synchronizing signal and supplies the separated 
signal to a horizontal synchronizing signal generation circuit 23 via a 
contact PB of a switch 22. In addition, the vertical synchronizing signal 
generation circuit 23 receives via a contact EE of the switch 22 the 
vertical synchronizing signal output by the vertical synchronizing signal 
generation circuit 14. The vertical synchronizing signal (signal PBV) 
generation circuit 23 generates a reproduced vertical synchronizing signal 
in synchronism with the vertical synchronizing signal received through the 
switch 22, and forwards the generated signal to the OSD IC 26. 
The OSD IC 26 generates pulses representing characters and figures to be 
inserted onto a screen in synchronism with the reproduced horizontal and 
vertical synchronizing signals received above (the pulses are called 
on-screen display (OSD) pulses). The generated pulses are sent to the 
adder 27. 
The adder 27 overlays the video signal from the video IC 16 with the OSD 
pulses from the OSD IC 26. The result of the overlay operation is output 
to the LCD panel device 2 via the terminal 28. 
An operation unit 24 is operated by a user wishing to manipulate the video 
camera 31 or video cassette recorder 32 as desired. Signals representing 
the desired operations are output to the mechanism control microcomputer 
20. 
The above-described circuits and components are all incorporated in a 
camcorder enclosure 1. 
The LCD panel device 2 is attached as a single component to the camcorder 
enclosure 1. The LCD panel device 2 accommodates an LCD panel 46 that 
displays the video signal received through the terminal 28. A 
synchronizing signal separation circuit 41 in the LCD panel device 2 
separates the composite synchronizing signal from the video signal 
received via the terminal 28, and sends the separated signal to a 
horizontal synchronization separation circuit 42 and a vertical 
synchronization separation circuit 44 in an LCD controller 47. The 
horizontal synchronization separation circuit 42 separates a horizontal 
synchronizing signal from the received composite synchronizing signal, and 
outputs the separated signal to a PLL circuit (AFC circuit) 43. The PLL 
circuit 43 generates a reproduced horizontal synchronizing signal in 
synchronism with the horizontal synchronizing signal received from the 
horizontal synchronization separation circuit 42, and forwards the 
generated signal to the LCD panel 46. The vertical synchronization 
separation circuit 44 separates a vertical synchronization signal from the 
received composite synchronizing signal, and sends the separated signal to 
a gate driver 45. The gate driver 45 generates gate driver start pulses in 
phase with the received vertical synchronizing signal, and outputs the 
generated pulses to the LCD panel 46. 
In the example above, the user first operates the operation unit 24 to 
order the mechanism control microcomputer 20 to make the video camera 31 
pick up images. In turn, a video signal representing an object picked up 
by the CCD 11 of the video camera 31 is fed to the LCD panel 46 for 
display. Characters and symbols denoting the operations performed on the 
operation unit 24 are generated by the OSD IC 26 and overlaid onto the 
video signal by the adder 27. The overlay operation allows the LCD panel 
46 to display the characters and figures generated by the OSD IC 26. 
The operation unit 24 may be operated to establish a recording mode. In 
this mode, part of the video signal fed to the LCD panel 46 is forwarded 
to the cassette tape drive unit 19 and recorded onto the video cassette 
19A. 
When the operation unit 24 is operated to order signal reproduction from 
the video cassette 19A, a reproduced signal from the cassette tape drive 
unit 19 is output to the LCD panel 46 for display. At this point, too, OSD 
signals generated by the OSD IC 26 are suitably output to and displayed on 
the LCD panel 46. 
Where recordings of the video cassette 19A are reproduced in the above 
example, the horizontal synchronization separation circuit 29 and PLL 
circuit 30 generate and output a reproduced horizontal synchronizing 
signal needed to generate the OSD signals. The horizontal synchronization 
separation circuit 42 and PLL circuit 43 in the LCD controller 47 generate 
a reproduced horizontal synchronizing signal necessary for displaying the 
video signal on the LCD panel 46. 
As outlined above, the conventional video cassette recorder-equipped video 
camera comprises two sets of horizontal synchronization separation circuit 
and PLL circuit: the horizontal synchronization separation circuit 29 and 
PLL circuit 30 for generating a reproduced horizontal synchronizing signal 
fed to the OSD IC 26 on the one hand, and the horizontal synchronization 
separation circuit 42 and PLL circuit 43 in the LCD controller 47 for 
generating a reproduced horizontal synchronizing signal supplied to the 
LCD panel 46 on the other hand. An obvious disadvantage of such a 
redundant circuit constitution is an increased number of components 
resulting in higher costs. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is therefore an object of the present invention to overcome the above 
and other disadvantages of the related art and to provide a video camera 
having a storage medium-equipped recorder-reproducer incorporating fewer 
components costing less than comparable conventional models. 
In carrying out the invention and according to one aspect thereof, there is 
provided a video camera having a recorder-reproducer, comprising: a video 
camera unit for picking up images of objects; a recorder-reproducer for 
recording a video signal from the video camera unit onto a recording 
medium and for reproducing the video signal from the storage medium; 
display means for displaying the video signal coming either from the video 
camera unit or from the storage medium; OSD signal generation means for 
generating OSD signals for display on the display means; overlay means for 
overlaying the OSD signals from the OSD signal generation means onto the 
video signal coming either from the video camera unit or from the storage 
medium; generation means for generating a reproduced horizontal 
synchronizing signal in synchronism with a horizontal synchronizing signal 
included in the video signal coming either from the video camera unit or 
from the storage medium; first supply means for supplying the reproduced 
horizontal synchronizing signal to the display means; and second supply 
means for supplying the reproduced horizontal synchronizing signal to the 
OSD signal generation means. 
According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a control 
method for controlling the above video camera having the 
recorder-reproducer, whereby the reproduced horizontal synchronizing 
signal is fed both to the display means and to the OSD signal generation 
means. 
As an advantage of the inventive video camera having the 
recorder-reproducer and the control method thereof, the reproduced 
horizontal synchronizing signal generated by the generation means is 
supplied not only to the display means but also to the OSD signal 
generation means. 
These and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will 
become more apparent upon a reading of the following description and 
appended drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
FIG. 1 shows a typical constitution of a video camera having a video 
cassette recorder practiced as an application of a video camera having a 
storage medium-equipped recorder-reproducer embodying the invention. The 
video cassette recorder-equipped video camera is basically the same in 
structure as the conventional video camera shown in FIG. 3. One difference 
is that the video camera of FIG. 1 omits the horizontal synchronization 
separation circuit 29 and PLL circuit 30 included in FIG. 3. Another 
difference is that in the video camera of FIG. 1, the reproduced 
horizontal synchronizing signal output by the PLL circuit 43 (generation 
means) in the LCD controller 47 is supplied both to the LCD panel 46 
(display means) via a line 71 (first supply means) and to the contact PB 
of the switch 25 via a line 72 and a terminal 51 (second supply means). 
The other components of the embodiment in FIG. 1 are substantially the 
same as those of the conventional setup in FIG. 3, and their descriptions 
are thus omitted where they are repetitive. 
The embodiment of FIG. 1 works as follows: a user first operates the 
operation unit 24 to order the video camera 31 to pick up images of a 
desired object. In response, the mechanism control microcomputer 20 
outputs a VA/PB signal to position the switches 17, 22 and 25 to the 
contact EE each. 
At this point, a signal representing the object picked up by the CCD 11 is 
input to the camera signal processing circuit 12. The camera signal 
processing circuit 12 processes the signal from the CCD 11 in synchronism 
with the vertical and horizontal synchronizing signals from the vertical 
and horizontal synchronizing signal generation circuits 14 and 15, and 
generates a video signal in the NTSC format. The video signal thus 
generated is output to the video IC 16. 
The video IC 16 admits via the contact EE of the switch 17 the video signal 
coming from the camera signal processing circuit 12. The video signal is 
forwarded via the adder 27 and terminal 28 to the LCD panel 46 of the LCD 
panel device 2. At this point, the synchronizing signal separation circuit 
41 separates a composite synchronizing signal from the video signal 
received through the terminal 28, and outputs the separated signal. The 
horizontal synchronization separation circuit 42 separates a horizontal 
synchronizing signal from the composite synchronizing signal output by the 
synchronizing signal separation circuit 41, and outputs the separated 
signal to the PLL circuit 43. The PLL circuit 43 generates a reproduced 
horizontal synchronizing signal in synchronism with the horizontal 
synchronizing signal received from the horizontal synchronization 
separation circuit 42. The reproduced horizontal synchronizing signal is 
output via the line 71 to the LCD panel 46. 
Likewise, the vertical separation circuit 44 separates a vertical 
synchronizing signal from the composite synchronizing signal received from 
the synchronizing signal separation circuit 41. The signal thus separated 
is sent to the gate driver 45. The gate driver 45 generates gate driver 
start pulses in synchronism with the received vertical synchronizing 
signal, and outputs the generated pulses to the LCD panel 46. The LCD 
panel 46 displays the input video signal in synchronism with the gate 
driver start pulses from the gate driver 45 and with the reproduced 
horizontal synchronizing signal from the PLL circuit 43. This allows the 
user to monitor on the LCD panel 46 images of the object picked up by the 
video camera 31. 
If the operation unit 24 is operated to order recording, the video signal 
admitted through the switch 17 of the video IC 16 is supplied to the 
cassette tape drive unit 19. The video signal is then recorded onto the 
video cassette 19A. 
In a camera mode in which the video camera 31 is operated, the mechanism 
control microcomputer 20 controls the OSD IC 26 (OSD signal generation 
means) to generate various OSD signals. 
In the above case, the switch 22 in the mechanism control microcomputer 20 
supplies via its contact EE the vertical synchronizing signal generation 
circuit 23 with the vertical synchronizing signal from the vertical 
synchronizing signal generation circuit 14 in the video camera 31. The 
vertical synchronizing signal generation circuit 23 generates a reproduced 
vertical synchronizing signal in synchronism with the received vertical 
synchronizing signal. The reproduced vertical synchronizing signal thus 
generated is fed to the OSD IC 26. 
The OSD IC 26 is supplied through the contact EE of the switch 25 with the 
horizontal synchronizing signal generated by the horizontal synchronizing 
signal generation circuit 15 of the video camera 31. The OSD IC 26 
generates OSD signals in synchronism with the reproduced vertical 
synchronizing signal from the vertical synchronizing signal generation 
circuit 23 and with the horizontal synchronizing signal from the 
horizontal synchronizing signal generation circuit 15. The generated OSD 
signals are fed to the adder 27 to be overlaid thereby onto the video 
signal. This allows the LCD panel 46 to display appropriate messages (in 
characters) and symbols necessary for the ongoing operations. 
If the operation unit 24 is operated to order signal reproduction from the 
video cassette 19A, the mechanism control microcomputer 20 establishes a 
video mode and positions the switches 17, 22 and 25 to the contact PB 
each. When the operation unit 24 is operated to designate the start of 
signal reproduction, the cassette tape drive unit 19 starts signal 
reproduction of the video cassette 19A and feeds a reproduced video signal 
to the video IC 16. The video IC 16 receives the reproduced video signal 
through the contact PB of the switch 17. The reproduced video signal thus 
received is forwarded to the LCD panel 46 via the adder 27 and terminal 
28. At this point, as in the camera mode, the PLL circuit 43 and gate 
driver 45 in the LC controller 47 generate a reproduced horizontal 
synchronizing signal and gate driver start pulses respectively and feed 
them to the LCD panel 46. The LCD panel 46 displays the video signal 
received via the terminal 28 in synchronism with the reproduced horizontal 
synchronizing signal and gate driver start pulses. 
The reproduced horizontal synchronizing signal generated by the PLL circuit 
43 is supplied not only to the LCD panel 46 via the line 71 but also to 
the OSD IC 26 through the line 72, terminal 51, and contact PB of the 
switch 25. 
The synchronization separation circuit 18 separates a composite 
synchronizing signal from the video signal received via the switch 17 in 
the video IC 16. The composite synchronizing signal thus separated is sent 
to the vertical synchronization separation circuit 21 in the mechanism 
control microcomputer 20. The vertical synchronization separation circuit 
21 separates a vertical synchronizing signal from the received composite 
synchronizing signal, and feeds the separated signal to the vertical 
synchronizing signal generation circuit 23 via the contact PB of the 
switch 22. The vertical synchronizing signal generation circuit 23 
generates a reproduced vertical synchronizing signal in synchronism with 
the vertical synchronizing signal received from the vertical 
synchronization separation circuit 21. The reproduced vertical 
synchronizing signal thus generated is output to the OSD IC 26. 
In the reproduction mode (i.e., video mode) for signal reproduction of the 
video cassette 19A, as described, the reproduced vertical and horizontal 
synchronizing signals are generated in synchronism with the vertical and 
horizontal synchronizing signals included in the reproduced video signal 
derived from the video cassette 19A. The reproduced vertical and 
horizontal synchronizing signals thus generated are supplied to the OSD IC 
26. 
In synchronism with the reproduced vertical and horizontal synchronizing 
signals thus received, the OSD IC 26 generates OSD signals representing 
various messages (in characters) and symbols necessary for the operations 
of the operation unit 24. The OSD signals are generated and output to the 
adder 27 (overlay means) to be overlaid thereby onto the video signal. 
This allows the LCD panel 46 to display appropriate messages and symbols. 
In the above embodiment, as described, the OSD IC 26 is fed with the 
reproduced horizontal synchronizing signal generated by the horizontal 
synchronization separation circuit 42 and PLL circuit 43 in the LCD 
controller 47. This arrangement renders the horizontal synchronization 
separation circuit 29 and PLL circuit 30 in FIG. 3 redundant. With the 
fewer components to be incorporated, the embodiment costs less to 
manufacture. 
FIG. 2 depicts a video camera having a video cassette recorder practiced as 
an application of another video camera having a storage medium-equipped 
recorder-reproducer embodying the invention. The embodiment of FIG. 2 is 
characterized by the absence of the horizontal synchronization separation 
circuit 42 and PLL circuit 43 included in the LCD controller 47 of FIG. 1. 
Instead, as with the conventional model of FIG. 3, the embodiment of FIG. 
2 has the horizontal synchronization separation circuit 29 and PLL circuit 
30 installed in the camcorder enclosure 1. The output of the PLL circuit 
30 is fed both to the contact PB of the switch 25 and to the LCD panel 46 
via a terminal 61. The other components of the embodiment in FIG. 2 are 
substantially the same as those of the embodiment in FIG. 1. 
In the embodiment of FIG. 2, the horizontal synchronization separation 
circuit 29 separates a horizontal synchronizing signal from the composite 
synchronizing signal output by the synchronization separation circuit 18, 
and outputs the separated signal to the PLL circuit 30. The PLL circuit 30 
generates a reproduced horizontal synchronizing signal in synchronism with 
the horizontal synchronizing signal received from the horizontal 
synchronization separation circuit 29. The reproduced horizontal 
synchronizing signal thus generated is supplied to the terminal 61 via a 
line 82 and from the terminal 61 on to the LCD panel 46. Thus the LCD 
panel 46 is supplied, in each of two different states, with the reproduced 
horizontal synchronizing signal synchronized with the horizontal 
synchronizing signal included in the video signal received via the switch 
17 of the video IC 16. That is, the reproduced horizontal synchronizing 
signal is provided both when the video camera 31 is operated and when the 
video signal is reproduced from the video cassette 19A in the reproduction 
mode. 
The reproduced horizontal synchronizing signal generated by the PLL circuit 
30 is supplied to the contact PB of the switch 25 via a line 81. This 
means that in the reproduction mode for signal reproduction from the video 
cassette 19A, the reproduced horizontal synchronizing signal is sent to 
the OSD IC 26 through the switch 25. 
The other operations of the embodiment in FIG. 2 are the same as those of 
the embodiment in FIG. 1, and their descriptions are therefore omitted. 
In the embodiment of FIG. 2, as described, the horizontal synchronization 
separation circuit 29 and PLL circuit 30 are provided in the camcorder 
enclosure 1 while the horizontal synchronization separation circuit 42 and 
PLL circuit 43 are omitted from the LCD controller 47. Thus with the 
reduced number of components to make up its constitution, the embodiment 
of FIG. 2 also costs less to manufacture. 
The embodiments above have been described primarily as applications of the 
video cassette recorder-equipped video camera for recording the video 
signal onto the video cassette. However, such applications are not 
limitative of the invention. The invention may also be applied where the 
video signal is recorded on any other suitable storage medium. 
As described and according to the inventive video camera having the 
recorder-reproducer as well as to the control method thereof, the 
reproduced horizontal synchronizing signal generated by the generation 
means is supplied not only to the display means but also to the OSD signal 
generation means. The invention thus embodied reduces the number of the 
components involved and lowers the manufacturing costs of the resulting 
video camera. 
While preferred embodiments of the invention have been described using 
specific terms, such description is for illustrative purposes only, and it 
is to be understood that changes and variations may be made without 
departing from the spirit or scope of the following claims.