Abstract:
An electronic still camera embodying the invention converts images of an object into image data and records the image data onto a recording medium. A corresponding identification code is directly recorded with the image data so that the image data can be efficiently managed within the electronic still camera.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This is a Continuation of application Ser. No. 10/073,897 filed Feb. 14, 2002, which in turn is a Continuation of application Ser. No. 09/604,790 filed Jun. 28, 2000 (now abandoned), which is a Continuation of application Ser. No. 08/732,990 filed Oct. 16, 1996 (Now abandoned). The entire disclosures of the prior applications are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entireties. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0003]     The present invention relates to an electronic still camera which converts an analog object image into digital image data (information) and records the image data in a recording medium. Particularly, it relates to an electronic still camera which efficiently manages the image data in the recording medium.  
         [0004]     2. Description of Related Art  
         [0005]     Electronic still cameras which record in a recording medium image data photoelectrically converted through a CCD or other image pick-up elements are conventionally known.  
         [0006]      FIG. 6  shows an example of a conventionally known electronic still camera.  
         [0007]     FIGS.  7 ( a - c ) show examples of conventionally known control members for the electronic still camera of  FIG. 6 .  
         [0008]     In these figures, a shooting lens  11  is mounted on an electronic still camera  10 , and a photoreceiving surface of an image pick-up unit  12  is positioned on an optical axis of the shooting lens  11 .  
         [0009]     Photoelectric output from the image pick-up unit  12  is input to a compression and expansion circuit  15  through an A/D converter  13  and a frame memory  14 . Output from the compression and expansion circuit  15  is input to a memory card  17  through an interface  16 .  
         [0010]     Data from the frame memory  14  is output from a video output terminal  19  through a D/A converter  18 , which is connected to an external monitor  20 .  
         [0011]     A release switch  21 , a mode changing switch  22 , and a frame advance switch  23  are positioned on a housing of the electronic still camera  10 . Each of connecting points for the control members is connected to input terminals of a control circuit  25 .  
         [0012]     Output terminals of this control circuit  25  are connected to the image pick-up unit  12 , the A/D converter  13 , the frame memory  14 , the compression and expansion circuit  15 , the interface  16 , the D/A converter  18 , and a display device  26 .  
         [0013]     If the release switch  21  is fully depressed, a normal shooting action is commenced. That is, the control circuit  25  reads image data from the image pick-up unit  12  and accumulates it in the frame memory  14  through the A/D converter  13 . The control circuit then compresses this image data and records it in the memory card  17 .  
         [0014]     On the other hand, if the mode changing switch  22  is set in a “replay mode,” the control circuit  25  displays a frame number in the display device  26  and reads image data corresponding to that frame number from the memory card  17 .  
         [0015]     The control circuit  25  expands the image data through the compression and expansion circuit  15  and stores the image data in the frame memory  14 . When image data for one screen (picture) is accumulated in the frame memory  14 , the control circuit  25  successively reads the image data from the frame memory  14  and converts the image data into video signals through D/A converter  18 . These video signals are provided to the monitor  20  which replays the image data.  
         [0016]     Every time the frame advance switch  23  is turned on, the control circuit  25  increases a frame number by one and replays the image data corresponding to the new frame number.  
         [0017]     Because the memory card  17  can be used over and over, running costs are low. With such an advantage, the number of pictures that can be taken is generally higher than in film cameras. Thus a large amount of image data tends to be stored in the memory card  17 . As a result, pictures (image data) stored in the memory card  17  include many unsuccessful pictures or test pictures repeated under differing exposure conditions.  
         [0018]     Accordingly, it is necessary to periodically clear unnecessary image data from the stored image data. However, there is no space for separately providing a control member for such an operation in the conventionally known electronic still camera  10 . The image data is conventionally managed by separately providing a personal computer or other external device.  
         [0019]     For example, as shown in  FIG. 8 , a memory card reader  77  is connected to an external computer  78  or other external device  76 . The memory card  17  which is taken out (ejected) from the electronic still camera  10  is mounted (inserted) to the memory card reader  77 . The image data is read one by one from the memory card  17  and determined as to whether the image data should be kept or deleted.  
         [0020]     Additionally, in a second example, the electronic still camera  10  can be directly connected to the computer  78  to entirely transfer the image data in the electronic still camera  10  from memory card  17 . The user can then determine the necessity for each picture after saving the image data from each picture in a hard disk or other large capacity storing device  75  or  76 . Data from the memory card  17  could also be read and sent to the computers  78  via a modem  79  and  80 .  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0021]     One object of the present invention is to provide an electronic still camera in which image data is selected and a corresponding identification code is directly recorded with the image data. The image data can later be immediately divided based on the identification code to efficiently select the image data. Moreover, the first object of the invention is to provide an electronic still camera which can efficiently manage the image data within the electronic still camera.  
         [0022]     Because processes for selecting desired image data or deleting unnecessary image data are not necessary, the later selection of image data can be done quickly.  
         [0023]     Furthermore, when failures in shooting are determined at the time of shooting objects, because the identification code is immediately recorded, the image data does not have to be replayed one by one to determine the results of shooting as in conventional electronic still cameras. Thus, the image data can be efficiently and intuitively distinguished.  
         [0024]     In addition, because the identification code is written by the electronic still camera, external devices only need to be equipped with circuitry to determine the identification codes; they do not have to be specially equipped with any hardware for image processing.  
         [0025]     A second object of the present invention is to provide an electronic still camera in which image data is selected by changing the frame number. Normally, because an operator often recognizes the number of frames that separate a current frame from one in which shooting failures exist, the majority of the image data can be accurately distinguished with only the frame number.  
         [0026]     Because the image data is not replayed, the time required for replaying can be saved, and the image data can be quickly and efficiently distinguished.  
         [0027]     Furthermore, only two control members relevant to the frame advance means and the manual selection means are required. Accordingly, the number of control members is kept as low as possible.  
         [0028]     In addition, in an electronic still camera having the replay function, because the frame advance button that is used when replaying the image data can also be used as a frame advance means when recording the image data, the number of control members is further controlled to be as low as possible.  
         [0029]     A third object of the present invention is to provide an electronic still camera in which image data is selected any time while replaying the image data, which can be replayed one by one. The selected image data can then be efficiently and accurately distinguished.  
         [0030]     Only one control member relevant to the selecting means is required. Accordingly, the number of control members can be controlled to be as low as possible.  
         [0031]     A fourth object of the present invention is to provide an electronic still camera in which codes of the file attributes are changed in accordance with the specified file formats. The image data can then be simply and generally distinguished in external devices using the same file formats.  
         [0032]     A fifth object of the present invention is to provide an electronic still camera in which file names or file extensions are changed in accordance with the specified file formats. The image data can then be simply and generally divided in external devices using the same file formats.  
         [0033]     As described above, in an electronic still camera according to the present invention, because the image data is immediately divided by the electronic still camera, operations for distinguishing the image data which normally take time when managing the image data can be quickly and efficiently completed.  
         [0034]     However, with the conventional electronic still camera  10 , because external devices are necessary to manage the image data, there is a problem in that the system structure is complicated.  
         [0035]     Furthermore, because the size of the image data is generally large, transferring time is long when transferring the image data from the electronic still camera  10  to the external devices.  
         [0036]     In addition, in order to quickly manage the image data in the external device, an expansion process for the image data must be accomplished at high speed, which creates another problem in that improved hardware or increased memory is required to be used exclusively for the imaging processes.  
         [0037]     According to the first aspect of the invention, the electronic still camera includes optical means for forming an object image, image pick-up means for photoelectrically converting the object image formed by said optical means to image data, recording means for recording the image data converted by the image pick-up means as a plurality of image data files with file attribute data to a recording medium based on a specified file format, selecting means for selecting at least one selected image data file from the plurality of image data files recorded in the recording medium, wherein the recording means changes a file attribute of the at least one selected image data file.  
         [0038]     In accordance with the first aspect of the invention, an operator selects the at least one selected image data file using the selecting means.  
         [0039]     The objective of the first aspect of the invention is to provide an electronic still camera which can efficiently manage the image data within the electronic still camera.  
         [0040]     According to the second aspect of the invention, the recording means records the image data, file names and file extensions based on the specified file formats, and the recording means also changes the file name and the file extension of the at least one selected image data file. More specifically, the recording means records the image data, the file name, and the file extensions based on the specified file format. The recording means also distinguishes the at least one selected data image file by changing its file attributes or file extensions.  
         [0041]     According to the third aspect of the invention, the selecting means in the electronic still camera comprises frame advance means and a manual selection means.  
         [0042]     In accordance with the third aspect of the invention, the operator adjusts the frame number at “a frame number of image data desired to be selected” by performing a first external operation with the frame advance means. Next, the operator selects the image data corresponding to the frame number by performing a second external operation with the manual selection means.  
         [0043]     The objective of the second and third aspects of the invention is to provide an electronic still camera in which the number of control members is controlled to be as low as possible while the image data is efficiently managed within the electronic still camera.  
         [0044]     According to the fourth aspect of the invention, the electronic still camera comprises replaying means for replaying the plurality of image data files recorded in the recording medium, one by one. The selecting means selects at least one of said plurality of image data files being replayed as the at least one selected image data file when an external operation is performed.  
         [0045]     In accordance with the fourth aspect of the invention, the image data in the recording medium is replayed one by one by the replaying means.  
         [0046]     The operator performs an operation with the selecting means when “the image data desired to be selected” is replayed while confirming the replayed image data. Then, the selecting means is used to select the image data being replayed as the selected image data file.  
         [0047]     The recording means records other image data and identifiable codes with respect to the selected image data file selected as described above.  
         [0048]     The objective of the fourth aspect of the invention is to provide an electronic still camera which, in addition to the above objectives, can simply and generally distinguish undesired image data from desired image data. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0049]     A description of preferred embodiments of the invention will be provided in conjunction with the following drawing figures, wherein:  
         [0050]      FIG. 1  is a schematic view showing the structures and functions of a first embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0051]      FIGS. 2   a  and  2   b  are schematic views of control members of the first embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0052]      FIG. 3  is a flow chart describing a first operation of the first embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0053]      FIG. 4  is a flow chart describing a second operation of the first embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0054]      FIG. 5  is a schematic view showing file formats of MS-DOS (TM) files;  
         [0055]      FIG. 6  is a schematic view of the structures and functions of a conventional electronic still camera;  
         [0056]      FIGS. 7   a ,  7   b  and  7   c  are schematic views of conventionally known control members; and  
         [0057]      FIG. 8  is a schematic view showing the structures and functions of a conventionally known electronic still camera connected to a computer. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0058]     Embodiments of the present invention are described hereafter based on the drawings.  
         [0059]     In  FIG. 1 , a shooting lens  11  is mounted on an electronic still camera  10   a . The electronic still camera  10   a  has an optical axis on which a photoreceptive surface of an image pick-up unit  12  is positioned.  
         [0060]     Photoelectric output from the image pick-up device is input into a compression and expansion circuit  15  through an A/D converter  13  and a frame memory  14 . Output from the compression and expansion circuit  15  is input to a memory card  17  through an interface  16 .  
         [0061]     Data output from the frame memory  14  is output to a video output terminal  19  through a D/A converter  18 . This video output terminal  19  is connected to an external monitor  20 .  
         [0062]     Control members comprising a release switch  21 , a mode changing switch  22   a , a frame advance switch  23 , and an identification code switch  24  are positioned on a housing of the electronic still camera  10   a . These control members are connected to a control circuit  25   a.    
         [0063]     An optical means comprises the shooting lens  11 ; an image pick-up means comprises the image pick-up unit  12 ; a selecting means comprises the frame advance switch  23 , the identification code switch  24 , and the control circuit  25   a ; and a recording means comprises the interface  16  and the control circuit  25   a.    
         [0064]     A frame advancing means comprises the frame advance switch  23  and the control circuit  25   a ; and a manual selection means comprises the identification code switch  24  and the control circuit  25   a.    
         [0065]     A replaying means comprises the interface  16 , the frame memory  14 , the D/A converter  18  and the control circuit  25   a ; and a selecting means comprises the identification code switch  24  and the control circuit  25   a.    
         [0066]     The operation of the present invention will now be described with regard to the flow charts shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 .  
         [0067]     In the electronic still camera of the present invention, when the mode changing switch  22   a  is set at a “shooting mode” (Step S 301 ), the control circuit  25   a  determines the state of the release switch  21  (Step S 302 ).  
         [0068]     In the release switch  21 , a 2-step connection comprising “half depression” and “full depression” is provided. In film cameras or the like, electric power is turned on to the entire body of the camera when the switch is half depressed to make the camera ready for shooting operations. The shutter release is then executed when the release switch  21  is fully depressed.  
         [0069]     However, with the electronic still camera  10   a  of the present invention, when release switch  21  is half depressed, electric power is not turned on for circuits which are required only at the time of shooting, such as the image pick-up unit or the A/D converter. The electric power is turned on for those circuits only when fully depressed, resulting in a savings of power.  
         [0070]     Therefore, when the release switch  21  is fully depressed, the control circuit  25   a  commences a normal shooting operation after electric power is supplied to those circuits that are required only at the time of shooting.  
         [0071]     On the other hand, when the release switch is not fully depressed, the following operations can be commenced.  
         [0072]     When the frame advance switch  23  is turned on (the frame advance switch  23  is controlled to be in an ON state) (Step S 303 ), the control circuit  25   a  decreases a value of a frame number at that point by one (Step S 304 ), and displays a new frame number (Step S 305 ).  
         [0073]     When the identification code switch  24  is turned on (the identification code switch  24  is controlled to be in an ON state) (Step S 306 ), the control circuit  25   a  updates (rewrites/renews) a file attribute for the image data corresponding to the frame number.  
         [0074]     The image data in the memory card  17  is recorded in a specified file format as shown in  FIG. 5 . At this point, by setting “1” to the lowest bit of data containing a file attribute of the image data (1 byte in a managed data (information) area), attributes of the file are changed. (Step S 307 ).  
         [0075]     By returning to Step S 301  to repeat the above operation, distinction of image data when operating in the shooting mode can be immediately (quickly) accomplished.  
         [0076]     In the electronic still camera of the present invention, when the mode changing switch  22   a  is set in “replay mode”, the control circuit  25   a  displays the frame number (Step S 401 ) and transfers and replays the image data corresponding to the frame number onto the frame memory  14  (Steps S 402  and S 403 ).  
         [0077]     In this state, if the identification code switch  24  is turned on (the identification code switch  24  is controlled to be in an ON state) (Step S 404 ), the control circuit  25   a  changes an attribute of the image data being replayed (Step S 405 ).  
         [0078]     Here, if the mode changing switch  22   a  is set to the “automatic frame advance mode” (Step S 406 ), after a specified display time is elapsed (Step S 407 ), the frame number is increased by 1 (Step S 408 ), and the process returns to Step S 401  to repeat the above operation.  
         [0079]     On the other hand, if the mode changing switch  22   a  is set to the “manual frame advance mode” (Step S 406 ), the frame number is increased by 1 as the frame advance switch  23  is depressed (when the frame advance switch  23  is depressed) (Step S 409 ), and the process returns to Step S 401  to repeat the above operation.  
         [0080]     As described above, distinction of image data when operating in the replay mode can be immediately (quickly) accomplished.  
         [0081]     With the above operations, because image data is appropriately selected and the attribute is changed to that of a “read-only” file, the image data is quickly organized later based on the file attributes.  
         [0082]     For example, in an operating system using the above file formats, by conducting a batch deleting process for the image data in the memory card  17 , only image data whose attributes have been changed to that of a “read-only file” can be selectively saved.  
         [0083]     Moreover, by only rewriting the file attributes of the image data, the process is quickly completed without having to move the image data, delete the image data, or the like.  
         [0084]     In addition, because the file attributes of the image data are immediately changed in accordance with the success (result) of the shooting images when in the shooting mode, no time is needed to replay the image data one by one later to determine the results of the shooting as in the conventional electronic still cameras. Accordingly, division of the image data is efficiently and intuitively accomplished in parallel with the shooting operations.  
         [0085]     Moreover, in the shooting mode, because the image data is not replayed one by one, the time required for replaying the image data is saved, and the image data can be quickly and efficiently distinguished.  
         [0086]     Furthermore, in the shooting mode, the frame advance switch  23 , which is used during replay mode, can also be used (has a combined use) in the shooting mode as a control member to change the frame number. Thus, the number of the control members is kept to a minimum.  
         [0087]     In the replay mode, because the image data is selected while confirming (looking at) the image data being replayed, the image data can be accurately distinguished.  
         [0088]     In addition, in the electronic still camera  10   a , because the file attributes are rewritten in accordance with the specified file formats, the selection of the image data can be simply and generally accomplished if an external device using the same file formats is used.  
         [0089]     In the embodiment of the present invention as described above, an attribute of the image data is changed to that of a “read-only file.” However, this embodiment is not limited to the “read-only file” attribute. The image data can be distinguished by changing the attribute to any of the file attributes.  
         [0090]     For instance, the attribute can be changed to be a “hidden file” or a “system file.” Since file names or the like will not be shown (displayed) with such changes in the attributes, files for the objective (desired) image data can be retained by deleting only the displayed files.  
         [0091]     In the embodiment described above, the file attributes of the image data were changed. However, the present invention is not limited to changing the file attributes to accomplish the objectives of the invention. File names or file extensions can also be changed.  
         [0092]     For example, when the name of the image data is “DSC00001.JPG,” the file name can be changed to “DDD00001.JPG,” or the file extension can be changed to “DSC0001.JJJ.” The image data whose name or extension is changed as described can be selected as a group by using a wildcard or a regular expression.  
         [0093]     While this invention has been described in conjunction with specific embodiments thereof, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the preferred embodiments of the invention as set forth herein are intended to be illustrative, not limiting. Various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.