Patent Abstract:
An imaging device comprises an interface for connecting an external recording device, a control circuit for controlling data communication with the external recording device connected to the interface, and an information storage. The control circuit comprises a connection establisher for realizing a connection established status with the external recording device, an information supplier for supplying the data management information stored in the information storage to the external recording device, and a connection canceller for canceling the connection established status before or at the time of setting the device main body to the electric power saving mode, after making the information supplier execute the data management information supply operation or after completion of the data management information supply operation by the information supplier.

Full Description:
[0001]    The priority application Number 2007-207282, upon which this patent application is based, is hereby incorporated by reference. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to imaging devices equipped with an imaging function, such as electronic cameras e.g. digital cameras, and particularly to imaging devices which control data communication with external recording devices connected thereto. 
         [0004]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0005]    When connecting a typical electronic camera and the like to other devices, it is usually connected through a USB (Universal Serial Bus) interface. According to the USB standard, a host which has a host controller polls (queries) a device connected to the host, thereby performing the communication between the host and the device. All the communications are controlled by the host and thus the devices cannot poll the host. 
         [0006]    Generally, when transferring imaging data obtained by an imaging operation of an electronic camera to an external recording device through a USB cable, the electronic camera is connected to a personal computer (PC) which is connected to the external recording device and then the imaging data is transferred to the external device via the PC. Therefore, the PC is the host and the electronic camera and the external recording device are the devices. The PC controls all the communications and transfers the imaging data from the electronic camera to the external recording device. Thus, transferring imaging data taken with an electronic camera to an external recording device always needs the intermediary of PC, which requires vexatiousness of starting PC and the like. 
         [0007]    There has been proposed an imaging device capable of performing data communication with an external device without the intermediary of PC. 
         [0008]    Generally, when a host equipment and a device equipment are connected to each other through a USB interface, the host equipment and the device equipment send a query command and a reply command to each other in conformity with the USB standard to thereby establish the connection therebetween. Also, when the connection between the host equipment and the device equipment is canceled, the host equipment and the device equipment send a query command and a reply command to each other in conformity with the USB standard to thereby cancel the connection therebetween. Thus, in the case where an external recording device as the device equipment is connected to the host equipment, and the connection is established between the both equipments, if the user unplugs a USB connector from one of the equipments in error and thereby physically disconnects the equipments, then the stored data recorded in the external recording device can be destroyed. 
         [0009]    However, in the conventional imaging device capable of performing data communication with an external device without the intermediary of PC, no countermeasures are taken to prevent stored data recorded in the device equipment from being destroyed by physical disconnection in the connection established status as described above. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0010]    Hence an object of the present invention is to provide an imaging device which can prevent problems such as destruction of stored data recorded in an external recording device connected thereto. 
         [0011]    An imaging device according to the present invention comprises: 
         [0012]    an interface for connecting an external recording device; 
         [0013]    a control circuit for controlling data communication with the external recording device connected to the interface; and 
         [0014]    an information storage for storing data management information of the data recorded in the external recording device. 
         [0015]    The control circuit comprises: 
         [0016]    a connection establisher for realizing a connection established status by performing a connecting process to establish connection with the external recording device; 
         [0017]    an information acquirer for acquiring the data management information from the external recording device to store the data management information in the information storage in the connection established status; 
         [0018]    an information supplier for supplying the data management information stored in the information storage to the external recording device in the connection established status; 
         [0019]    an electric power saving mode setter for setting the device main body to an electric power saving mode in which operation of part of the device main body stops; and 
         [0020]    a connection canceller for canceling the connection established status before or at the time of setting the device main body to the electric power saving mode after making the information supplier execute the data management information supply operation or after completion of the data management information supply operation by the information supplier. 
         [0021]    In particular, the connection canceller cancels the connection established status after making the information supplier execute the data management information supply operation if it has not executed, or after completion of the data management information supply operation if it is in execution. 
         [0022]    In the imaging device according to the present invention, before or at the time of setting the device main body to the electric power saving mode, after the latest data management information is surely supplied, the connection established status is canceled. Therefore, while the device main body is in the electric power saving mode, even if the user unplugs the cable mistaking the electric power saving mode for the power source OFF status, the stored data recorded in the external recording device will not be destroyed. 
         [0023]    More particularly, the control circuit has an electric power saving mode canceller for canceling the electric power saving mode, and the connection establisher executes the connecting process when the electric power saving mode is canceled by the electric power saving mode canceller. 
         [0024]    According to the particular structure described above, when the electric power saving mode is canceled, the device main body automatically returns to the connection established status. Thus, no operation for returning the device main body to the connection established status is required. 
         [0025]    As described above, according to the imaging device of the present invention, when an external recording device is connected to the imaging device, problems such as destruction of stored data recorded in the external recording device can be prevented. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0026]      FIG. 1  is an outline view showing an imaging device of the present invention with a hard disk device and a TV monitor connected thereto; 
           [0027]      FIG. 2  is a block diagram illustrating the structure of the imaging device; 
           [0028]      FIG. 3  is a block diagram illustrating the structure of the hard disk device; 
           [0029]      FIG. 4  is a flow chart showing the procedure performed in an electronic camera which constitutes the imaging device with the power source set to ON; 
           [0030]      FIG. 5  is a flow chart showing the practical procedure in the host mode process by the electronic camera; and 
           [0031]      FIG. 6  is a flow chart showing the procedure performed in the connection established status in the electronic camera; and 
           [0032]      FIG. 7  is a flow chart showing the practical procedure performed in the hard disk device. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
       [0033]    In this embodiment, as an example of the imaging device, an imaging device including an electronic camera and a cradle is described. 
         [0034]      FIG. 1  shows an imaging device according to the present invention provided with a hard disk device  80  and a TV monitor  60  connected thereto. The imaging device according to the present invention includes an electronic camera  10  and a cradle  50  to put the electronic camera thereon as shown in the figure, and the electronic camera  10  transmits and receives data to and from the hard disk device  80  and the TV monitor  60  via the cradle  50 . 
         [0035]      FIG. 2  is a block diagram illustrating the structure of the electronic camera  10  and the cradle  50 . Details of the electronic camera  10  and the cradle  50  are described below with reference to  FIG. 2 . The electronic camera  10  is provided with an imaging lens  2 , a CMOS image sensor  4 , an imaging processing section  6 , a CPU  8 , a USB terminal  10   a,  an image output terminal  10   b,  a power source switch terminal  10   c,  an operation section  12 , a remote control light receiving section  14 , an SDRAM  16 , a compression/decompression processing section  18 , a USB host controller  20 , a USB device controller  22 , a USB interface  24 , a card control section  26 , an external memory card  28 , a video encoder  30  and a monitor  32 . 
         [0036]    The imaging lens  2  provides an image of an optical image of an object on an imaging area of the CMOS image sensor  4  which is an imaging element. An analog imaging signal outputted from the CMOS image sensor  4  is subjected to imaging processing by the imaging processing section  6  and then converted into a Y signal which is a luminance signal and U and V signals which are color difference signals. The location of the imaging lens  2  in the direction of light axis is adjusted based on the output signals of the CMOS image sensor  4 . 
         [0037]    The CPU  8  is connected to the imaging processing section  6 , the operation section  12 , the remote control light receiving section  14 , the SDRAM  16 , the compression/decompression processing section  18 , the USB host controller  20 , the USB device controller  22 , the card control section  26 , the video encoder  30  and the power source switch terminal  10   c.  The CPU  8  controls the imaging processing section  6 , the SDRAM  16 , the compression/decompression processing section  18 , the USB host controller  20 , the USB device controller  22 , the card control section  26  and the video encoder  30  in accordance with a program stored in an internal memory which is not shown in the figures. A timer  8   a  built in the CPU  8  counts time and sets a time-out flag which shows a time out status when counting a predetermined time is completed. 
         [0038]    An imaging process and a reproduction process by the CPU  8  are executed in response to a predetermined operation to the operation section  12 . For more particular description of the imaging process, the CPU  8  compresses a taken movie and picture by means of the compression/decompression processing section  18 , and then records the compressed movie data and picture data as a movie file and picture file in the external memory card  28 . For more particular description of the reproduction process, the CPU  8  decompresses the movie file and picture file recorded in the external memory card  28  by means of the compression/decompression processing section  18 , and then converts them into analog image signals such as NTSC signals by means of the video encoder  30  to output them to the monitor  32  or the image output terminal  10   b.  The SDRAM  16  is used for temporary storage of data in such an imaging process and a reproduction process. 
         [0039]    The USB terminal  10   a,  the image output terminal  10   b  and the power source switch terminal  10   c  that are provided in the electronic camera  10  can be connected to the cradle  50 . The USB terminal  10   a  is connected to the USB interface  24  in the electronic camera  10 , while the USB host controller  20  and the USB device controller  22  are connected to the USB interface  24  in parallel. 
         [0040]    The cradle  50  is provided with a USB terminal  50   a,  an image input terminal  50   b  and a power source switch terminal  50   c  to be connected to the USB terminal  10   a,  the image output terminal  10   b  and the power source switch terminal  10   c  respectively, and a host connector  54  and a device connector  56  are connected to the USB terminal  50   a  in parallel. A power source switch  52  and an AV connector  58  are connected to the image input terminal  50   b  and the power source switch terminal  50   c  respectively. 
         [0041]    The host connector  54  can have an external recording device equipped with a device function such as the hard disk device  80  connected thereto through a USB cable. When the hard disk device  80  is connected to the host connector  54 , the movie file and picture file can be recorded in the hard disk device  80  via the cradle  50 . The device connector  56  can have a personal computer (PC) equipped with a host function connected thereto. The AV connector  58  can have the TV monitor  60  connected thereto. When the TV monitor  60  is connected to the AV connector  58 , the movie file and picture file recorded in the external memory card  28  can be outputted to the TV monitor  60  via the cradle  50  to display the movie and picture. In particular, in the reproduction process described above, the analog image signals outputted from the image output terminal  10   b  are supplied to the AV connector  58  to be outputted to the TV monitor  60 . 
         [0042]    Now referring to  FIG. 3 , the hard disk device  80  is described below.  FIG. 3  is a block diagram illustrating the structure of the hard disk device  80 . The hard disk device  80  is provided with a USB terminal  80   a,  a USB interface  82 , a CPU  84 , an HD controller  86  and an HD drive  88 . The USB interface  82  and the HD controller  86  are connected to the CPU  84 , which controls the USB interface  82  and the HD controller  86  in accordance with a program stored in a memory which is not shown in the figure. 
         [0043]    After putting the electronic camera  10  on the cradle  50  connected to the hard disk device  80  with the power source of the camera set to OFF as shown in  FIG. 1 , upon operation of the power source switch  52  on the cradle  50 , the power source of the camera is set to ON and then the connection establishing process is executed to establish the connection between the electronic camera  10  and the hard disk device  80 . 
         [0044]    To be specific, when the power source switch  52  is operated, the CPU  8  shown in  FIG. 2  detects the operation and sets the power source of the camera to ON. When the power source of the camera main body is set to ON, the CPU  8  detects a voltage applied to the host connector  54  via the USB interface  24 , thereby detecting that the device equipment (the hard disk device  80 ) is connected to the host connector  54 . At the same time, the device equipment (the hard disk device  80 ) detects the voltage via the USB interface  82 , thereby detecting that the electronic camera  10  which is the host equipment is connected thereto. 
         [0045]    And then, the CPU  8  controls the USB host controller  20  and sends a query command to the connected device equipment (the hard disk device  80 ) to inquire what kind of driver the equipment is controlled by. The device equipment (the hard disk device  80 ) sends a reply command to the electronic camera  10  in response to the query command replying that the equipment is controlled by the driver of the hard disk device  80 . Thus the electronic camera  10  recognizes what kind of driver the device equipment (the hard disk device  80 ) is communicable with and establishes connection with the hard disk device  80 . Once the connection is established, all the data communications between the electronic camera  10  and the hard disk device  80  is controlled by the electronic camera  10 . The electronic camera  10  according to this embodiment is provided with the driver of the hard disk device  80 . In this embodiment, the host mode process described above is executed. The establishment of connection between the host equipment and device equipment is in conformity with the USB standard and therefore not described here in detail. 
         [0046]    In data transmitting and receiving process between the electronic camera  10  and the hard disk device  80  between which the connection is established, the CPU  8  of the electronic camera  10  controls the USB host controller  20  and sends a request command to the hard disk device  80  requesting transfer of FAT (File Allocation Tables) information recorded in a hard disk (not shown). The hard disk device  80  receives the request command through the USB interface  82  and the CPU  84  analyzes the request command and then controls the HD controller  86  to read out the FAT information from the hard disk by means of the HD drive  88 , and sends a reply command including the read FAT information to the electronic camera  10 . The FAT information is then stored in the SDRAM  16 , whereby the electronic camera  10  can manage data of the hard disk device  80 . 
         [0047]    Operations of the electronic camera  10  and the hard disk device  80  in recording in the hard disk device  80  via the cradle  50  the movie file and picture file recorded in the external memory card  28  are described below. The CPU  8  of the electronic camera  10  first analyzes the FAT information of the hard disk device  80  stored in the SDRAM  16 . And then after determining how to write data in the hard disk of the hard disk device  80 , the CPU  8  controls the card control section  26  to read out the movie file or picture file from the external memory card  28 . Subsequently the CPU  8  controls the USB host controller  20  to output the movie file or picture file to the USB terminal  10   a  from the USB interface  24  and to supply the movie file or picture file from the host connector  54  to the hard disk device  80  via the USB terminal  50   a  of the cradle  50 . During this process, a request command and a reply command transmission and reception are conducted in conformity with the USB standard between the electronic camera  10  and the hard disk device  80 . Then, by updating the FAT information stored in the SDRAM  16  and controlling the USB host controller  20 , the updated FAT information is supplied to the hard disk device  80 . The HD drive  88  of the hard disk device  80  shown in  FIG. 3  records the supplied movie file or picture file in the hard disk and then writes and records the supplied FAT information over the FAT information previously recorded in the hard disk. 
         [0048]    The electronic camera  10  can output the movie file and picture file recorded in the external memory card  28  to the PC connected to the device connector  56  of the cradle  50 . In such a case, in establishing connection between the host equipment and the device equipment, the PC is the host equipment and the electronic camera is the device equipment. In the electronic camera  10 , when a transfer request of the file recorded in the external memory card  28  from the PC equipped with a host function is received by the USB device controller  22 , the CPU  8  controls the card control section  26  in accordance with the content of the received request, reads out the movie file or picture file recorded in the external memory card  28 , and controls the USB device controller  22 , thereby outputting the movie file or picture file from the USB interface  24  to the USB terminal  10   a.  The outputted file is supplied to the PC via the cradle  50  and the device connector  56 . In this embodiment, the device mode process described above is executed. 
         [0049]    When the power source OFF operation of the electronic camera  10  is executed, the CPU  8  controls the USB host controller  20  to execute the connection established status canceling process and then sets the power source of the device main body to OFF. When the connection established status with the hard disk device  80  is canceled, the CPU  8  erases the FAT information of the hard disk device  80  stored in the SDRAM  16 . 
         [0050]    The electronic camera  10  can set an electric power saving mode in which operation of part of the circuits constituting the camera main body stops. In the connection established status between the hard disk device  80  and the electronic camera  10 , when the CPU  8  determines no operation is made to the operation section  12  or no remote controller signal is received by the remote control light receiving section  14  within the predetermined time with which the built-in timer  8   a  times out, it executes the process for canceling the connection established status between the hard disk device  80  and the electronic camera  10  and then shifts the camera main body from the usual operation mode to the electric power saving mode. 
         [0051]    The connection canceling process between the hard disk device  80  and the camera is executed before the camera is shifted to the electric power saving mode for the following reasons. When the electronic camera  10  is in the electric power saving mode, the display on the monitor  32  of  FIG. 1  is not shown, therefore, it is difficult for the user to find out whether the camera main body is in the electric power saving mode or the power source is set to OFF. Therefore, even though the electronic camera  10  is in the electric power saving mode, it can be mistaken for the power source OFF status and the electronic camera  10  can be removed from the cradle  50  mistakenly by the user. Thus, when connection is established between the electronic camera  10  which is the host equipment and the hard disk device  80  which is the device equipment, forceful cancellation of the connection established status between the equipments can lead failure of operation of supplying the latest FAT information stored in the SDRAM  16  of the electronic camera  10  to the hard disk device  80  or interruption thereof, which can result in destruction of the stored data, for example, the data stored in the hard disk device  80  becoming unreadable. 
         [0052]    The electronic camera  10  according to this embodiment therefore executes the connection canceling process with the hard disk device  80  before the camera main body is shifted to the electric power saving mode. In the connection canceling process, the CPU  8  disconnects the hard disk device  80  after the USB host controller  20  executes a FAT information supply operation if the USB host controller  20  has not supplied the latest FAT information to the hard disk device  80 , or after a FAT information supply operation is completed if the USB host controller  20  is in the process of the FAT information supply operation. 
         [0053]    Now referring to the flowcharts of  FIGS. 4 to 6 , an operation of the CPU  8  of the electronic camera  10  in this embodiment is described below. 
         [0054]      FIG. 4  illustrates a procedure performed by the CPU  8  with the power source of the camera main body set to ON. When the power source of the camera main body is set to ON in response to a power source ON operation to the operation section  12 , reception of a power source ON signal by the remote control light receiving section  14 , or an operation to the power source switch  52  with the camera put on the cradle  50 , first, an initial check is performed as to the remaining battery level, remaining capacity of the external memory card  28  and the like in step S 1 . And then, proceeding to step S 3 , the CPU  8  determines whether or not a voltage is applied to the USB host connector  54  or the device connector  56  through the USB interface  24 . When it determines NO in the step S 3 , it further proceeds to step S 5  and performs a process in a usual electronic camera such as imaging and reproduction as described above. 
         [0055]    When it determines YES in the step S 3 , it further proceeds to step S 7  and determines which of the host connector  54  or the device connector  56  the voltage is applied to. When it determines that the voltage is applied to the device connector  56 , it further proceeds to step S 11  and performs the device mode process described above, while it proceeds to step S 9  and performs the host mode process to be described below when it determines that the voltage is applied to the host connector  54 . 
         [0056]    Referring to  FIG. 5 , an operation of the CPU  8  in the host mode process is described below. First, in step S 13 , the CPU  8  performs the connection establishing process with the hard disk device  80 . And then proceeding to step S 15 , it resets the timer  8   a  in the CPU  8  and then starts the timer. Then proceeding to step S 17 , it determines whether or not there is an operation to the operation section  18  or a receipt of a remote control signal by the remote control light receiving section  14 . When it determines YES in step S 17 , it proceeds to step S 19  and performs the process in response to the operation to the operation section  18  or the received remote control operation signal, followed by proceeding to step S 21 . When it determines NO in step S 17 , it proceeds to step S 21  bypassing step S 19 . 
         [0057]    In step S 21 , it determines whether or not the timer  8   a  is in a time out status. When it determines NO, it returns to step S 17  and repeats the processes of steps S 17  to S 21  until it determines YES in step S 21 . Once it determines YES in step S 21 , it proceeds to step S 23  and performs the connection canceling process for canceling the connection established status with the hard disk device  80 , followed by proceeding to step S 25  to shift the camera main body from the usual operation status to the electric power saving mode. 
         [0058]    Subsequently, it proceeds to step S 27  and determines whether or not an operation for canceling the electric power saving mode is performed. To be specific, it determines whether or not there is an operation to the operation section  18  or a receipt of a remote control operation signal by the remote control light receiving section  14 . It repeats the process of step S 27  until it determines that an operation for canceling the electric power saving mode is performed. When it determines YES in step S 27 , it returns to step S 1  of  FIG. 4  and then performs the connection establishing process in step S 13  of  FIG. 5 . Thereby when the electric power saving mode is canceled, the device main body automatically goes back to the connection established status. 
         [0059]    In the host mode process, when the connection establishing process is performed in step S 13 , a connection canceling process by a power source OFF operation shown in  FIG. 6  is performed in parallel. First, it determines whether or not a power source OFF operation is performed in step S 29 . When it determines YES in this step, it proceeds to step S 31  and performs the connection canceling process. Subsequently, proceeding to step S 33 , it sets the power source of the camera main body to OFF and completes the procedure. When a power source OFF operation is performed during the process of steps S 15  to S 27  of  FIG. 5 , the connection canceling process is performed preferentially to set the power source of the camera main body to OFF. 
         [0060]    Referring to  FIG. 7  now, an operation of the CPU  84  of the hard disk device  80  of this embodiment is described below. First, in step S 35 , it determines whether or not a voltage is applied via the USB interface  82 . When it determines YES in step S 35 , it proceeds to step S 37  and determines whether or not a query command or the like from the electronic camera  10  for the connection establishment between the both devices is received. When it determines YES in step S 37 , it proceeds to step S 39  and performs a process for establishing connection with the electronic camera  10  described above. 
         [0061]    Subsequently, proceeding to step S 41 , it determines whether or not a request command from the electronic camera  10  such as a command to request transferring the FAT information or stored data and a command to request connection canceling is received. When it determines YES in this step, it proceeds to step S 43  and determines whether or not the received request command is a request command for connection canceling. When the received request command is for transfer of the FAT information or stored data and it determines NO in step S 43 , it proceeds to step S 47  and performs a process in response to the request command, followed by returning to the step S 41 . In contrast, when the received request command is for connection canceling and it determines YES in step S 43 , it proceeds to step S 45  and performs the connection canceling process to complete the procedure. 
         [0062]    As described above, in the imaging device according to this embodiment, before the electronic camera  10  shifts to the electric power saving mode, the latest FAT information is surely supplied from the electronic camera  10  to the hard disk device  80  and then the connection established status is canceled. Therefore, even if the user unplugs a USB cable from the cradle  50  or the hard disk device  80  when the electronic camera  10  is set to the electric power saving mode, mistaking it for the power source OFF status, the stored data recorded in the hard disk device  80  will not be destroyed. 
         [0063]    Although the present invention is implemented in an imaging device including the electronic camera  10  and the cradle  50  in the embodiment described above, it is also possible to implement the present invention in an imaging device consisting of only an electronic camera. In an embodiment of the present invention with an imaging device consisting of only an electronic camera, the electronic camera and an external recording device such as a hard disk device are connected to each other through a USB cable.

Technology Classification (CPC): 7