Abstract:
A recording apparatus for recording identification data of a predetermined number of digits for identifying recording data on a recording medium together with the recording data, including a display unit having a display capacity of a number of digits less than the predetermined number of digits for indicating the identification data, and an operation switch unit. Information Identification data to be displayed on the display unit is circularly designated, and the identification data is set and changed. A reproducing apparatus includes a reproducing unit for reproducing an image signal recorded together with an ID signal representing an attribute at each access position of a medium, a display unit capable of displaying characters or numerals, and a control unit for causing the display unit to display an access position of the reproducing unit upon access of the reproducing unit, and causing the display unit to display the ID signal when a predetermined designation is made.

Description:
This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 08/013,222 filed Feb. 1, 1993 now abandoned, which is a continuation of Ser. No. 07/544,622, filed Jun. 27, 1990, both now abandoned. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a reproducing apparatus and a recording apparatus and, more particularly, to a recording apparatus for recording an image signal on a recording medium and a reproducing apparatus for reproducing the recorded image signal. 
     2. Related Background Art 
     In a still video camera for recording an image signal picked up by an image pickup element onto a recording medium such as a magnetic sheet or a solid-state memory, when a photographed image is recorded on the recording medium, ID data such as a photographing date, time, serial number, and the like may be simultaneously recorded. When a signal is reproduced from the recorded recording medium, a still video reproducing apparatus separate from the camera may be used. Since the reproducing apparatus normally has a character generator, the ID data such as the photographing date, time, serial number, and the like can be confirmed on a monitor display. 
     In contrast to this, it is inconvenient to unload a recording medium and load it in the reproducing apparatus each time the content of the recording medium is to be confirmed. Thus, some cameras having reproducing functions have been proposed. 
     However, a character generator in such a camera would be expensive, and it would make the camera bulky. 
     When a camera is used outdoors, a TV monitor is not always present. Therefore, if a character generator is added to the camera, a reproduced image cannot be observed unless there is a TV monitor. 
     As a recording medium of a still image, a still video floppy disk standardized in a “Meeting of Still Video” is known, and as a recording apparatus, a still video camera is known. The still video floppy disk has 50 tracks, i.e., from an outermost first track to an innermost 50th track, and a video signal of one field can be recorded on each track. In order to record a video signal of one frame (two fields), two adjacent tracks are used. In the still video floppy disk, a recording format such as a date, time, track No., field/frame ID data, and user code is defined as identification data to be added to a still image to be recorded, i.e., ID data. 
     As a means for setting or inputting such ID data, a conventional still video camera employs a predetermined input means. The input means is operated while observing a 7-segment display device which is arranged on a camera body and allows a 6-digit display. 
     The segment display device of the 6-digit display is disadvantageous for a still video camera which aims at a compact and inexpensive design since it occupies a relatively large area and is expensive. When the number of display segments is increased, a display controller is complicated. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is a first object of the present invention to provide a recording apparatus and/or a reproducing apparatus which can solve the above problem and is easy to use. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a recording apparatus which can display and record various data by a simple arrangement. 
     It is still another object of the present invention to provide a recording apparatus which causes a display device having a predetermined number of digits of display segments to display various data. 
     It is still another object of the present invention to provide a recording apparatus which can set ID data to be recorded together with an image signal by a simple arrangement. 
     In order to achieve the above objects, according to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, there is disclosed a recording apparatus for recording identification data of a predetermined number of digits for identifying recording data on a recording medium together with the recording data, comprising display means having a display capacity of a number of digits less than the predetermined number of digits for indicating the identification data, and operation switch means, wherein data to be displayed on the display means is circularly designated, and the identification data is set and changed. 
     It is still another object of the present invention to provide a reproducing apparatus which can display and reproduce various data by a simple arrangement. 
     It is still another object of the present invention to provide a reproducing apparatus which can display various data on a display device having display segments of a predetermined number of digits. 
     In order to achieve the above objects, according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is disclosed a reproducing apparatus comprising reproducing means for reproducing an image signal recorded together with an ID signal representing an attribute at each access position of a medium, display means capable of displaying characters or numerals, and control means for causing the display means to display an access position of the reproducing means upon access of the reproducing means, and causing the display means to display the ID signal when a predetermined designation is made. 
     Other objects and features of the present invention will be apparent from the following description of the embodiments and drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an arrangement according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIGS. 2,  3 ,  4 ,  5 ,  6 , and  7  are flow charts showing a display method using a liquid crystal display device  32 ; 
     FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing an arrangement according to another embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 9 is a flow chart showing the display control of a display device  144  in an erase mode; 
     FIG. 10 is a flow chart showing the display control when a content recorded on each track is to be erased; and 
     FIG. 11 is a flow chart showing the display control when recorded contents of all the tracks are to be erased. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an arrangement according to the first embodiment of the present invention. A system shown in FIG. 1 includes a photographing lens  10 , a mechanical shutter  12 , a driver  14  for driving the shutter  12 , an image pickup element  16 , a process circuit  18  for forming a luminance signal and a color difference signal on the basis of an output from the pickup element  16 , a recording circuit  20  for performing recording processing, e.g., modulation, of the luminance signal and the color difference signals output from the process circuit  18 , a video floppy disk  22  as a recording medium, a motor  24  for rotating the floppy disk  22 , a magnetic head  26 , a switch  27  which is connected to a contact a in a recording mode, and is connected to a contact b in a reproducing mode, a reproducing circuit  28  for performing reproducing processing such as demodulation of a signal reproduced by a magnetic head  26 , and outputting the processed signal as a video signal, a video output terminal  30 , a liquid crystal display device (LCD)  32  for displaying a system state and various data, and a system controller  34  for controlling the entire system. 
     The system also includes a switch group  40  for inputting predetermined instructions to the system controller  34 . The switch group  40  includes a photographing preparation switch  42  which is closed by the first stroke of a shutter release operation, and indicates the start of a photographing preparation operation, and a photographing switch  44  which is closed by the second stroke of the shutter release operation, and starts a photographing operation. The switch group  40  also includes a recording switch  46 , a reproduction switch  48 , an up switch  50  for beginning a track up operation, a down switch  52  for beginning a track down operation, a mode switch  54 , a year, month, day (YMD) switch  56 , an hour, minute, second (HMS) switch  58 , and a serial number (SEL) switch  60 . 
     A recording operation of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 will be described below. Object light is incident on the pickup element  16  via the photographing lens  10  and the shutter  12 . The pickup element  16  converts the input light into an electrical signal. The process circuit  18  converts the electrical signal into a luminance and color difference signals. The recording circuit  20  performs recording processing, e.g., modulation, of the luminance and color difference signals. ID data input in advance by the switch group  40  is supplied from the system controller  34  to the recording circuit  20 . The recording circuit  20  outputs the ID data to the magnetic head  26  through the switch  27  together with the modulated image signal. As a result, the image signal and its ID data are magnetically recorded on a magnetic disk  22 . 
     A reproducing operation shown in FIG. 2 will be described below. The magnetic head  26  is moved to a designated track position (S 1 ), and a signal recorded on the track is reproduced by the reproducing circuit  28  (S  2 ). A video signal demodulated and reproduced by the reproducing circuit  28  is output to the video output terminal  30 , and a demodulated ID signal is supplied to the system controller  34  (S 2 ). The system controller  34  displays the content of the ID signal on the LCD  32  by a display method to be described later (S 3 ). Thereafter, the track feed (S 1 ), reproduction (S 2 ), and display (S 3 ) operations are repeated. 
     The display method of the LCD  32  will be described below. FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing the first embodiment of the display method. A number of a reproducing track is displayed (S 10 ). The YMD switch  56 , the HMS switch  58 , and the SEL switch  60  are then checked. If input of the YMD switch  56  is detected (S 11 ), year, month, and day data are displayed (S 12 ). When the YMD switch  56  is turned off (S 13 ), the number of the reproducing track is displayed again (S 10 ). Similarly, when input of the HMS switch  58  is detected, hour, minute, and second data are displayed (S 15 ). When HMS switch  58  is turned off (S 16 ), the number of the reproducing track is displayed again (S 10 ). When input of the SEL switch  60  is detected, serial number data is displayed (S 18 ). When the SEL switch  60  is turned off (S 19 ), the number of the reproducing track is displayed again (S 10 ). 
     FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing the second display method. In this case, in place of the method shown in FIG. 3 wherein a display of the number of the reproducing track is resumed upon detection of the off event of the switch  56 ,  58 , or  60  (S 13 , S 16 , S 19 ), a display of the number of reproducing track (S 10 ) is resumed when a predetermined period of time is measured by a timer (S 20 , S 21 , S 22 ) after display of YMD, HMS, or SEL data. 
     FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing the third display method. In this case, a corresponding display is made in response to input of the switch  56 ,  58 , or  60  (S 23 , S 24 , S 25 ), and thereafter, input of the switch  56 ,  58 , or  60  is kept checked (S 11 , S 14 , S 18 ). 
     FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing the fourth display method. In this case, after a display of the number of the reproducing track (S 10 ), a YMD display (S 27 ), an HMS display (S 29 ), an SEL display (S 31 ), and the display of the number of the reproducing track (S 10 ) are circulated every time the mode switch  54  is depressed (S 26 , S 28 , S 30 , S 32 ). 
     FIG. 7 is a flow chart showing the fifth display method. In this case, after a display of the number of the reproducing track (S 10 ), input of the mode switch  54  is waited (S 40 ), and thereafter, a YMD display (S 41 , S 42 ), an HMS display (S 43 , S 44 ), and an SEL display (S 45 , S 46 ) are performed each for a predetermined timer time. Thereafter, the display of the number of the reproducing track (S 10 ) is performed again, and input the mode switch  54  is then awaited (S 40 ). In this case, in step S 40 , an input from the mode switch  54  need not be waited, but a timer for measuring a predetermined period of time may be started. 
     In this embodiment, the liquid crystal display device is used. However, the present invention is not limited to this. Data to be displayed are not limited to year, month, and day data, hour, minute, and second data, and serial number data. Other data such as a photographing condition may be displayed. Furthermore, the number of the reproducing track is always displayed. However, another display (e.g., year, month, and day) may be made. 
     The case has been exemplified wherein the still video floppy disk is used as an image recording medium. The recording medium may comprise a tape-like medium, an optical recording medium, a solid-state memory such as a semiconductor memory, or the like. An ID signal may be frequency-multiplexed with a video signal or may be time-divisionally recorded without being frequency-multiplexed. Data other than a video signal, e.g., an audio signal may be reproduced. 
     As can be easily understood from the above description, according to this embodiment, ID data such as date, time, or serial number can be displayed on a small display device, and information of a recording content of the recording medium can easily be obtained. If there is no TV monitor, retrieval based on ID data can be performed. 
     The second embodiment of the present invention will be described below. 
     FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing an arrangement according to the second embodiment of the present invention. A system shown in FIG. 8 includes a photographing lens  110 , a mechanical shutter  112 , a driver  114  for driving the shutter  112 , an image pickup element  116 , a process circuit  118  for forming a luminance signal and color difference signals on the basis of an output from the pickup element  116 , a recording circuit  120  for performing recording processing, e.g., modulation, of the luminance signal and the color difference signals output from the process circuit  118 , a switch  122  for switching recording, erase, and reproducing modes, a video floppy disk  124  as a recording medium, a motor  126  for rotating the floppy disk  124 , a magnetic head  130 , an erase circuit  136  for generating an erase signal, a reproducing circuit  138  for performing reproduction processing, e.g., demodulation, of a signal reproduced by the magnetic head  130 , and outputting a video signal, and a video output terminal  140 . 
     The system also includes a liquid crystal display device (LCD)  144  for displaying a system state, and various data. The LCD  144  has a numeric display capacity of two digits for displaying ID data. The system also includes a system controller  148  for controlling the entire system, and a switch group  149  for inputting predetermined instruction to the system controller  148 . The switch group  149  includes a photographing preparation switch  150  which is closed by the first stroke of a shutter release operation, and indicates the start of a photographing preparation operation, and a photographing switch  152  which is closed by the second stroke of the shutter release operation, and starts a photographing operation. In addition, the switch group  149  includes a recording switch  154 , a reproduction switch  156 , an up switch  158  for beginning a track up operation, a down switch  160  for instructing a track down operation, a mode switch  162  for switching a display mode of the LCD  144  and switching a setting mode, a BLC switch  164 , and an ID switch  166 . 
     The system also includes a timer circuit  101  for generating date.time data, a modulation circuit  102  for DPSK-modulating the date.time data output from the timer circuit  101  as ID data, and a counter  104  for counting a serial number of four digits to be recorded as ID data. The counter  104  is incremented every time a photographing operation is performed. 
     An operation of the embodiment with the arrangement shown in FIG. 8 in a recording mode will be briefly described below. An optical image of an object is converted into an electrical signal by the pickup element  116 , and the process circuit  118  outputs a luminance signal and color difference signals. The recording circuit  120  performs processing for recording, e.g., modulation, of the luminance and color difference signals from the process circuit  118 . The system controller  148  supplies ID data input at the switch group  149  and displayed on the LCD  144  to the recording circuit  120 . The recording circuit  120  also performs processing for recording, e.g., modulation, of the input ID data, and outputs the modulated data to multiplex it on a signal from the process circuit  118 . This output is applied to the magnetic head  130  via the switch  122 , and is recorded on the floppy disk  124 . 
     An input operation of ID data and an operation of the LCD  144  at that time will be described below with reference to FIG.  9 . The LCD  144  normally displays one of the numbers of tracks 1 to 50. When the system controller  148  detects an operation of the ID switch  166 , it is set in an ID setup mode, and controls the display mode of the LCD  144  as follows. More specifically, when the ID switch  166  is turned on, the present display of the number of the track (S 1 ) is switched to an “hour” blink display (S 2 ). An “hour” display value can be incremented/decremented by the up and down switches  158  and  160  of the switch group  149 . When the ID switch  166  is turned on again, a “minute” blink display is performed (S 3 ), and a “minute” display value can be incremented/decremented by the up and down switches  158  and  160  of the switch group  149 . When the ID switch  166  is turned on again, a “second” blink display is performed (S 4 ), and a “second” display value can be reset to “00” by the up and down switches  158  and  160  of the switch group  149 . 
     Similarly, every time the ID switch  166  is input, a year display (S 5 ), a month display (S 6 ), a day display (S 7 ), a serial number upper part display (S 8 ), a middle part display (S 9 ), and a lower part display (S 10 ) are made by a two-digit blink display. Each display value can be incremented/decremented by the up and down switches  158  and  160  of the switch group  149 . 
     The blink display of the ID data in the ID setup mode (S 2  to S 10 ) is realized by repetitively turned on and off ID data. In place of turning off ID data, a specific segment may be turned on. The setup order and items in the ID setup mode are not limited to those in FIG.  9 . 
     A method of erasing a video signal recorded on the floppy disk  124  will be described below. In this embodiment, when a shutter release operation is performed while the mode switch  162  is kept depressed, i.e., when the mode switch  162  and the photographing switch  152  are simultaneously depressed, an erase current of the erasing circuit  136  is applied to the magnetic head  130 . 
     When the reproduction switch  156  of the switch group  149  is depressed, a reproduction mode is set. In this state, the magnetic head  130  is moved to a target track position (a position of a track to be erased) by the up and down switches  158  and  160 , and the track is reproduced. When the mode switch  162  and the photographing switch  152  are simultaneously depressed, the switch  122  is connected to the contact b, and an erase current of the erase circuit  136  is applied to the magnetic head  130 , thus erasing the recording content of the corresponding track. 
     FIG. 10 is a flow chart showing an operation of the LCD  144  at that time. During reproduction of the floppy disk  124 , the LCD  144  displays the number of track (S 20 ). When the mode switch  162  and the photographing switch  152  are simultaneously depressed (S 21 ), the LCD  144  turns off the displayed number of track for a predetermined period of time (S 22 ), then turns on (S 24 ), off (S 25 ), and on (S 26 ) the number of track at predetermined time intervals, and erases the recording content of the track. 
     Thereafter, when it is confirmed that simultaneous input of the mode switch  162  and the photographing switch  152  is continued (S 27 ), the magnetic head is moved to the next track (S 23 ), and steps S 24  to S 26  are repeated to erase the recording content of the track. When simultaneous input is not continued, the erase operation is ended, and the next processing is started (S 28 ). 
     As described above, a recording content of an arbitrary one track or a plurality of arbitrary tracks continuous with the arbitrary one track can be erased. 
     A display mode of the LCD when contents of all the tracks are erased will be described below with reference to FIG.  11 . When the photographing switch  152 , the mode switch  162 , and the BLC switch  164  are simultaneously depressed during reproduction of any track, the magnetic head  130  is moved to the first track position (S 30 ), and the LCD  144  displays the number of the track, i.e., “1” (S 31 ). The LCD turns off the displayed number of the track for a predetermined period of time (S 32 ), then turns on (S 34 ), off (S 35 ), and on (S 36 ) the number of the track at predetermined time intervals, and erases the recording content of the track. Thereafter, the magnetic head  130  is moved to the next track (S 33 ), and a blink display and an erase operation in steps S 34  to S 36  are executed. In this manner, the blink display and erase operation of the number of track for all the 50 tracks are performed (S 37 ). After the contents of all the tracks are erased, the next processing is started (S 38 ). 
     In this embodiment, the contents of all the tracks are erased from the first track to the 50th track in turn. Alternatively, the contents of the tracks may be erased in the order opposite to that described above, i.e., from the 50th track to the first track. 
     The switches for instruction various operations are not limited to those in the above embodiment. In this embodiment, one instruction input requires a plurality of switches. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, an instruction may be input by another combination of switches or by another one switch operation. The liquid crystal display device has been exemplified as a display device. However, other display devices may be employed, and the number of display digits is not limited to two. 
     In this embodiment, the still video floppy disk is used as an image recording medium. The recording medium may comprise a tape-like medium, an optical recording medium, a solid-state memory such as a semiconductor memory, or the like. An ID signal may be data which is frequency-multiplexed with a video signal and is recorded or data which is time-divisionally recorded without being frequency-multiplexed. Data other than a video signal, e.g., an audio signal may be reproduced. 
     As can be understood from the above description, according to this embodiment, the number of display digits of an ID data display can be small, and a compact, inexpensive display device can be used. 
     Various changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the appended claims.