Television – Camera – system and detail – Combined image signal generator and general image signal...
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-15
2004-01-06
Ho, Tuan (Department: 2612)
Television
Camera, system and detail
Combined image signal generator and general image signal...
C348S333010, C348S231990
Reexamination Certificate
active
06674464
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an imaging apparatus for performing signal processing depending on the operational modes.
2. Description of the Related Art
A digital still camera retrieves image data obtained by a CCD image sensor into a DRAM or a flash memory and subsequently transfers the image data to a so-called personal computer or the like. A major proportion of this type of the digital still camera has hitherto been of the type coping with the video graphics array (VGA) system.
Referring for example to
FIG. 1
, this digital still camera
200
includes a CCD image sensor
201
for generating image signals, an input processing/image processing circuit
202
, a memory controller
203
for reading and writing image data, an output processing circuit
204
for conversion to an output image of a pre-set system, a finder
205
for displaying the state of an object at the time of image shooting, a recording unit
207
for recording compressed image data over a CPU bus
206
and a compression/expansion circuit
208
for compressing/expanding image data. The digital still camera
200
also includes a memory
209
, formed by, for example, a DRAM, and a CPU
210
for controlling the overall device.
Before starting the image shooting of an object, the user has to confirm an object image displayed on the finder
205
. This state is termed a finder mode. At this time, the CCD image sensor
201
sends image signals obtained on photoelectric conversion to the input processing/image processing circuit
202
. The input processing/image processing circuit
202
performs the correlated dual sampling processing on the image signals to digitize the image signals. The input processing/image processing circuit
202
then performs pre-set signal processing, such as gamma correction, knee processing or camera processing and routes the processed image signals to the memory controller
203
. The memory controller
203
then is responsive to the control by the CPU
210
to send the image data from the input processing/image processing circuit
202
to the output processing circuit
204
. The output processing circuit
204
encodes image data in accordance with, for example, the National Television System Committee (NTSC) system, and analogizes the encoded image data to route the resulting analog data to the finder
205
. This allows the object as an object of image shooting to be indicated on the finder
205
.
On the other hand, if the user pushes a shutter button, not shown, to shift to the recording mode, the memory controller
203
causes the image data furnished from the input processing/image processing circuit
202
to be written in the memory
209
. The CPU
210
causes the image data to be read out from the memory
209
and compresses the image data from the recording unit
207
in the compression/expansion circuit
208
with compression in accordance with, for example, the Joint photographic Experts Group (JPEG) system to record the compressed image data in the recording unit
207
.
If the user performs pre-set processing to shift to the reproducing mode, the CPU
210
causes image data to be read out from the recording unit
207
to cause the image data to be expanded in JPEG system in the compression/expansion circuit
208
to route the resulting data via memory controller
203
and output processing circuit
204
to the finder
205
. This causes the as-shot image to be displayed on the finder
205
.
In keeping up with recent outstanding technical progress in the CCD image sensor, the resolution of image data is nearly surpassing 1,000,000 pixels. On the other hand, it may be feared that the digital still camera of the above-described structure cannot sufficiently cope with the image data exceeding 1,000,000 pixels.
If, for example, the CCD image sensor
201
outputs image signals of high resolution in the finder mode, the input processing/image processing circuit
202
, memory controller
203
or the output processing circuit
204
cannot process image data in real-time, such that an image of the object is displayed on the finder
205
in a frame-skipping fashion. This incurs an inconvenience in shooting an image of object even if the object makes the slightest movement.
In the recording mode, since in which only multi-pixel image data is recorded in the recording unit
207
, it is unnecessary to perform the processing in e.g., the input processing/image processing circuit
202
.
That is, in the digital still camera
200
, since the pre-set signal processing is performed on e.g., the input processing/image processing circuit
202
without regard to the operational mode, the signal processing has not necessarily been efficient insofar as the entire apparatus is concerned.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an imaging apparatus that is able to perform efficient signal processing depending on the operational mode.
In another aspect, the present invention provides a controlling method for a signal processing apparatus adapted for transmitting/receiving image data between a plurality of signal processing means and storage means for storing image data, the signal processing means being adapted for processing the image data in a pre-set fashion and for outputting to the control means a request signal for demanding furnishment of the image data for signal processing or demanding the outputting of the processed image data. The controlling method includes selecting, on furnishment of the request signal from the plural signal processing means, one or more of the signal processing means which has outputted the request signal, and furnishing the image data read out from the storage means to the selected signal processing means or writing the image data outputted by the selected signal processing means in the storage means.
In still another aspect, the present invention provides an imaging apparatus including imaging means, storage means for transiently storing image data from the imaging means, control means for controlling the writing/readout of the image data for the storage means, a plurality of signal processing means for processing the image data in a pre-set fashion and for outputting to the control means a request signal for demanding furnishment of the image data for signal processing or demanding the outputting of the processed image data, and outputting means for outputting image data processed by the signal processing means. The control means manages control on furnishment of the request signal to select one or more of the signal processing means which has outputted the request signal to furnish the image data read out from the storage means to the selected signal processing means or to write the image data outputted by the selected signal processing means in the storage means.
In yet another aspect, the present invention provides a recording/reproducing apparatus including imaging means, input processing means for performing pre-set input processing on image data from the imaging means, display processing means for displaying image data on display means, first storage means for transiently storing the image data from the imaging means, control means for controlling the writing/readout of the image data for the first storage means, resolution converting means for converting the resolution of image data, compression/expansion means for compressing/expanding the image data and recording/reproducing controlling means for causing the compressed image data to be recorded on second storage means and for causing the image data recorded on the second storage means to be reproduced. The control means selects one or more signal processing means from the input processing means, display processing means, resolution converting means and the compression/expansion means. The control means causes the image data read out from the first storage means to be sent to the selected signal processing means or causes the image data outputted by the selected signal processing means to be written in the first storage
Matsumoto Hideki
Mizutani Yoichi
Nakajima Ken
Takezawa Masayuki
Yamamoto Toshihisa
Frommer William S.
Frommer & Lawrence & Haug LLP
Ho Tuan
Kessler Gordon
Sony Corporation
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