Motion video signal processing for recording or reproducing – Local trick play processing – With randomly accessible medium
Reexamination Certificate
1998-01-27
2001-04-24
Tran, Thai (Department: 2615)
Motion video signal processing for recording or reproducing
Local trick play processing
With randomly accessible medium
C348S144000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06222985
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a camera, and more particularly to a camera which records a picked-up image and positional data which is obtained by the global positioning system (GPS) during photographing.
2. Description of Related Art
The GPS is able to determine the three-dimensional position (latitude, longitude and altitude) of any point on the globe by receiving radio waves from a number of moving satellites.
Japanese Patent Provisional Publication Nos. 4-70724, 4-347977 and 7-288725 disclose systems in which a GPS unit connects to a camera (or is built in a camera), and the camera records a picked-up image and positional data obtained by the GPS unit on a recording medium. According to these systems, it is possible to know the photographing place of the recorded image with reference to the recorded positional data, which was obtained by the GPS unit, when the recorded image is regenerated, and it is also possible to retrieve a desired recorded image according to the photographing place.
Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. 7-295025 discloses extending the life of a battery in the camera by controlling a power source circuit in accordance with surroundings of the camera recognized by the GPS unit. Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. 9-233421 discloses a camera which is provided with a built-in printer.
The conventional camera provided with the GPS unit has the following problems. In an electronic camera, noise or harmful radiation is generated in an image pickup circuit, etc., particularly in a high-speed clock which drives a CCD sensor as an image pickup element. Then, if the GPS unit is connected to the electronic camera, the noise enters the GPS unit via a connection line, causes incorrect workings of the GPS unit and has a bad influence on the position measuring accuracy.
Moreover, the GPS unit cannot obtain positional data at a place where it is impossible to receive the radio waves from the satellites, that is, indoors, at the shade of a building, etc. If a user releases a shutter at such a place, it is impossible to obtain the correct positional data from the GPS unit, and thus, the incorrect data may be recorded.
Furthermore, there is no conventional camera which is provided with both of the GPS unit and a printer. If a camera is provided with the GPS unit and the printer, the positional data can be obtained by the GPS unit while the printer is printing the image. In this case, however, there is a problem in that the noise and harmful radiation increase while the printer is printing the image. The noise and harmful radiation disturb the reception of the positional data from the satellites, cause incorrect workings of the GPS unit and have a bad influence on the position measuring accuracy.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been developed in view of the above-described circumstances, and has as its object the provision of a camera which records a picked-up image and positional data which is obtained by a GPS unit wherein, the camera is able to prevent an image pickup circuit, etc. from having a bad influence on the position measuring accuracy and prevent the life of a power source battery from getting shorter by stopping supply of unnecessary electricity to the GPS.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a camera which records, on a recording medium, the picked-up image and the positional data which is obtained by the GPS unit during photographing, wherein the camera is able to record the correct positional data as well as the picked-up image on the recording medium even if the photographing is performed at a place such as the shade of a building where it is impossible for the GPS unit to measure a position.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a camera which records, on the recording medium, the picked-up image and the positional data which is obtained by the GPS unit during photographing, wherein the camera is able to warn the user that the GPS unit cannot correctly measure a position when the photographing is performed at a place such as indoors where it is impossible for the GPS unit to measure a position.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a camera which records, on the recording medium, the picked-up image and the positional data which is obtained by the GPS during photographing and prints the image, wherein the camera is able to prevent the incorrect workings of the GPS unit while the printer is printing the image.
To achieve the above-mentioned objects, a camera of the present invention comprises: an image pickup means for forming image light representing a subject on a light receiving surface of an image pickup element, and for converting the image light into an image signal; a measurement data receiving means for receiving measurement data obtained by a GPS unit which connects to the camera or which is built in the camera; a recording means for recording the measurement data received by the measurement data receiving means and the image signal obtained by the image pickup means on a recording medium; and a control means for stopping camera elements and circuits form generating noise that interferes with the GPS unit while the GPS unit is obtaining the measurement data to be recorded.
According to the present invention, while the GPS unit is measuring the position to obtain the positional data to be recorded as the one at the photographing place, a camera elements and circuit which generates the noise interfering with the GPS unit to measure the position, such as the image pickup means for obtaining the image signal, the recording means for recording the image signal and the positional data on the recording medium, a strobe unit, and an image display are halted. Thereby, it is possible to avoid a bad influence on the position measuring accuracy of the GPS unit. While the GPS unit is measuring the position to obtain the positional data to be recorded as the one at the photographing place, it is possible to save electricity of the power source battery by stopping the camera elements and circuits which will be the noise source.
The positional data is received from the GPS unit before and/or after photographing. The camera is provided with a mode switching means for switching a photographing mode in which the image pickup means and the recording means are activated and a regeneration mode in which the regenerating means is activated, and a control means for stopping the GPS unit when the regeneration mode is selected by the mode switching means. In other words, since the GPS unit is not used in the regeneration mode, the GPS unit is halted to save electricity of the power source battery.
To achieve the above-mentioned objects, a camera of the present invention for optically or electrically recording an image representing a subject on a recording medium when a shutter is released, comprises: a measurement data receiving means for receiving measurement data obtained by a GPS unit which connects to the camera or which is built in the camera, the measurement data receiving means receiving at least first measurement data before the shutter is released, and second measurement data in synchronism with manipulation of a shutter release switch; a first deciding means for deciding whether the second measurement data, received by the measurement data receiving means, has an error or not; and a recording means for recording the second measurement data on the recording medium when the first deciding means decides that the second measurement data does not have an error, and for recording the first measurement data on the recording medium when the first deciding means decides that the second measurement data has an error.
According to the present invention, if the second positional data which is received from the GPS unit during photographing and indicates the photographing place has an error, the reserve positional data (the first positional data) received from the GPS unit before the photographing is recorded on the recording
Fuji Photo Film Co. , Ltd.
Onuaku Christopher
Tran Thai
LandOfFree
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