Electronic still camera

Claim 2

An electronic still camera comprising: (a) recording medium housing means for housing a disk-type recording medium having a number of recording tracks on which still image data is recorded; (b) rotation driving means for rotatively driving the disk-type recording medium housed in said recording medium housing means; (c) recording/reproduction head means for recording the still image data on said recording medium and for reproducing the still image data recorded on said recording medium; (d) head control means for shifting said head means in the radial direction of said recording medium; (e) power source switch means; (f) initial operation-performing means for performing a predetermined operation when the power source switch means is turned on; (g) mode switch select means for selecting a single mode or a continuous mode; (h) shutter switch means; (i) first recording control means for causing said rotation driving means to start a rotation driving operation when the shutter switch means operates, with the single mode being selected by the mode select means, and for causing said recording/reproduction head means to record the still image data in only one of the recording tracks and to stop the rotation driving operation performed by said rotation driving means after the recording of the still image data; (j) second recording control means for causing said rotation driving means to start the rotation driving operation when the shutter switch means operates, with the continuous mode being selected by the mode select means, and for causing said head control means to sequentially shift said recording/reproduction head means at predetermined time intervals and to sequentially record the still image data in the shifted recording tracks; (k) rotation driving operation ending means for automatically stopping the rotation driving operation performed by said rotation drive means after still image data is recorded on the last track, thereby ending the recording operation performed by said second recording control means; and (l) reproduce means for causing a reproduction of the still image data recorded on said recording medium.

Claim 3

An electronic still camera according to claim 1, wherein said initial operation-performing means includes means for causing the head control means to move the recording/reproduction head means to a track of the disk-type recording medium on which no data is recorded.

Claim 4

In electronic still camera according to claim 1, wherein said initial operation-performing means includes detecting means for detecting whether or not the recording medium housing means is located at a predetermined position.

Claim 5

An electronic still camera according to claim 3, further comprising display means for displaying results of detection performed by the detecting means.

Claim 6

An electronic still camera comprising: (a) recording medium housing means for housing a disk-type recording medium having a number of recording tracks on which still image data is recorded; (b) rotation driving means for rotatively driving the disk-type recording medium housed in said recording medium housing means; (c) recording/reproduction head means for recording the still image data on said recording medium and for reproducing the still image data recorded on said recording medium; (d) head control means for shifting said head means in the radial direction of said recording medium; (e) power source switch means; (f) initial operation-performing means for performing a predetermined operation when the power source switch means is turned on; (g) mode switch select means for selecting a single mode or a continuous mode; (h) shutter switch means; (i) first recording control means for causing said rotation driving means to start a rotation driving operation when the shutter switch means operates, with the single mode being selected by the mode select means, and for causing said recording/reproduction head means to record the still image data in only one of the recording tracks and to stop the rotation driving operation performed by said rotation driving means after the recording of the still image data; (j) second recording control means for causing said rotation driving means to start the rotation driving operation when the shutter switch means operates, with the continuous mode being selected by the mode select means, and for causing said head control means to sequentially shift said recording/reproduction head means at predetermined time intervals and to sequentially record the still image data in the shifted recording tracks; (k) display means for displaying whether or not still image data is recorded on the last one of the recording tracks; (n) rotation driving operation ending means for automatically stopping the rotation driving operation performed by said rotation driving means after still image data is recorded on the last track, thereby ending the recording operation performed by said second recording control means; and (m) reproduce means for causing a reproduction of the still image data recorded on said recording medium.

Claim 7

An electronic still camera comprising: (a) recording medium housing means for housing a disk-type recording medium having a number of recording tracks on which still image data is recorded; (b) rotation driving means for rotatively driving the disk-type recording medium housed in said recording medium housing means; (c) recording/reproduction head means for recording the still image data on said recording medium and for reproducing the still image data recorded on said recording medium; (d) head control means for shifting said head means in the radial direction of said recording medium; (e) power source switch means; (f) initial operation-performing means for performing a predetermined operation when the power source switch means is turned on; (g) mode switch select means for selecting a single mode or a continuous mode; (h) shutter switch means; (i) first recording control means for causing said rotation driving means to start a rotation driving operation when the shutter switch means operates, with the single mode being selected by the mode select means, and for causing said recording/reproduction head means to record the still image data in only one of the recording tracks and to stop the rotation driving operation performed by said rotation driving means after the recording of the still image data; (j) second recording control means for causing said rotation driving means to start the rotation driving operation when the shutter switch means operates, with the continuous mode being selected by the mode select means, and for causing said head control means to sequentially shift said recording/reproduction head means at predetermined time intervals and to sequentially record the still image data in the shifted recording tracks; (k) display means for displaying whether or not still image data is recorded on the last one of the recording tracks; (n) rotation driving operation ending means for automatically stopping the rotation driving operation performed by said rotation driving means after still image data is recorded on the last track, thereby ending the recording operation performed by said second recording control means; and (m) reproduce means for causing a reproduction of the still image data recorded on said recording medium.

Claim 8

An electronic still camera according to claim 5, further comprising: a power source switch; and initial setting means, which operates when the power source switch is turned on, for causing the head control means to move the record/reproduction head means to a track of the disk-type recording medium on which no data is recorded.

Claim 9

An electronic still camera according to claim 5, further comprising: a power source switch; and detecting means, which operates when the power source switch is turned on, for detecting whether or not the recording medium housing means is located at a predetermined position.

Claim 10

An electronic still camera according to claim 7, further comprising: display means for displaying results of detection performed by the detecting means.

Claim 11

An electronic still camera comprising: (a) recording medium housing means for housing a disk-type recording medium having a number of recording tracks on which still image data is recorded; (b) rotation driving means for rotatively driving the disk-type recording medium housed in said recording medium housing means; (c) rotation detecting means for detecting whether or not the disk-type recording medium rotated by the rotation driving means has reached a predetermined rotating speed; (d) recording/reproduction had means for recording the still image data on said recording medium and for reproducing the still image data recorded on said recording medium; (e) head control means for shifting said head means in the radial direction of said recording medium; (f) mode select means for selecting a single mode or a continuous mode; (g) shutter switch means; (h) first recording control means for causing said rotation driving means to start a rotation driving operation when the shutter switch means operates, with the single mode being selected by the mode select means, and for causing said recording/reproduction head means to record the still image data in only one of the recording tracks, when the rotation detecting means detects that the recording medium has reached the predetermined rotating speed, and then to stop the rotation driving operation performed by said rotation driving means after the recording of the still image data; (i) second recording control means for causing said rotation driving means to start the rotation driving operation when the shutter switch means operates, with the continuous mode being selected by the mode select means, and for causing said head control means to sequentially shift said recording/reproduction head means at predetermined time intervals and to sequentially record the still image data in the shifted recording tracks, while the shutter switch means is operating; (j) rotation driving operation ending means for automatically stopping the rotation driving operation performed by said rotation drive means after still image data is recorded on the last track, thereby ending the recording operation performed by said second recording control means even if the shutter switch means is still operating; and (k) reproduce means for causing a reproduction of the still image data recorded on said recording medium.

Claim 12

An electronic still camera comprising: (a) recording medium housing means for housing a disk-type recording medium having a number of recording tracks on which still image data is recorded; (b) rotation driving means for rotatively driving the disk-type recording medium housed in said recording medium housing means; (c) rotation detecting means for detecting whether or not the disk-type recording medium rotated by the rotation driving means has reached a predetermined rotating speed; (d) recording/reproduction had means for recording the still image data on said recording medium and for reproducing the still image data recorded on said recording medium; (e) head control means for shifting said head means in the radial direction of said recording medium; (f) mode select means for selecting a single mode or a continuous mode; (g) shutter switch means; (h) first recording control means for causing said rotation driving means to start a rotation driving operation when the shutter switch means operates, with the single mode being selected by the mode select means, and for causing said recording/reproduction head means to record the still image data in only one of the recording tracks, when the rotation detecting means detects that the recording medium has reached the predetermined rotating speed, and then to stop the rotation driving operation performed by said rotation driving means after the recording of the still image data; (i) second recording control means for causing said rotation driving means to start the rotation driving operation when the shutter switch means operates, with the continuous mode being selected by the mode select means, and for causing said head control means to sequentially shift said recording/reproduction head means at predetermined time intervals and to sequentially record the still image data in the shifted recording tracks, while the shutter switch means is operating; (j) rotation driving operation ending means for automatically stopping the rotation driving operation performed by said rotation drive means after still image data is recorded on the last track, thereby ending the recording operation performed by said second recording control means even if the shutter switch means is still operating; and (k) reproduce means for causing a reproduction of the still image data recorded on said recording medium.

Claim 13

An electronic still camera according to claim 9, further comprising: a power source switch; and initial setting means, which operates when the power source switch is turned on, for causing the head control means to move the recording/reproduction head means to a track of the disk-type recording medium on which no data is recorded.

Claim 14

An electronic still camera according to claim 9, further comprising: a power source switch; and detecting means, which operates when the power source switch is turned on, for detecting whether or not the recording medium housing means is located at a predetermined position.

Claim 15

An electronic still camera according to claim 11, further comprising: display means for displaying results of detection performed by the detecting means.

Claim 16

An electronic still camera comprising: (a) recording medium housing means for housing a disk-type recording medium having a number of recording tracks on which still image data is recorded; (b) rotation driving means for rotatively driving the disk-type recording medium housed in said recording medium housing means; (c) speed detecting means for detecting the rotating speed of the disk-type recording medium driven by the rotation driving means; (d) recording/reproduction head means for recording the still image data on said recording medium and for reproducing the still image data recorded on said recording medium; (e) a head control means for shifting said head means in the radial direction of said recording medium; (f) first operating switch means; (g) first recording control means for causing said first operating switch means to start the rotation driving operation performed by said rotation driving means, and for causing said recording/reproduction head means to record the still image data in only one of the recording tracks, when the rotating speed detected by the speed detecting means has reached a predetermined value, and then to stop the rotation driving operation performed by said rotation driving means after the recording of the still image data; (h) second operating switch means; (i) second recording control means for causing said second operation switch means to start the rotation driving operation performed by said rotation driving means, and for causing said head control means to sequentially shift said recording/reproduction head means at predetermined time intervals and to sequentially store the still image data in the shifted recording tracks, while a switching operation is being performed with the second operating switch means; (j) recording ending means for automatically stopping the rotation driving operation performed by said rotation driving means after still image data is recorded on a last one of the recording tracks under the control of the second recording control means, thereby ending the recording operation performed by said second recording control means even if the second operation switch means is still being operated; and (k) reproduce means for causing a reproduction of the still image data recorded on said recording medium.

Claim 17

An electronic still camera comprising: (a) recording medium housing means for housing a disk-type recording medium having a number of recording tracks on which still image data is recorded; (b) rotation driving means for rotatively driving the disk-type recording medium housed in said recording medium housing means; (c) speed detecting means for detecting the rotating speed of the disk-type recording medium driven by the rotation driving means; (d) recording/reproduction head means for recording the still image data on said recording medium and for reproducing the still image data recorded on said recording medium; (e) a head control means for shifting said head means in the radial direction of said recording medium; (f) first operating switch means; (g) first recording control means for causing said first operating switch means to start the rotation driving operation performed by said rotation driving means, and for causing said recording/reproduction head means to record the still image data in only one of the recording tracks, when the rotating speed detected by the speed detecting means has reached a predetermined value, and then to stop the rotation driving operation performed by said rotation driving means after the recording of the still image data; (h) second operating switch means; (i) second recording control means for causing said second operation switch means to start the rotation driving operation performed by said rotation driving means, and for causing said head control means to sequentially shift said recording/reproduction head means at predetermined time intervals and to sequentially store the still image data in the shifted recording tracks, while a switching operation is being performed with the second operating switch means; (j) recording ending means for automatically stopping the rotation driving operation performed by said rotation driving means after still image data is recorded on a last one of the recording tracks under the control of the second recording control means, thereby ending the recording operation performed by said second recording control means even if the second operation switch means is still being operated; and (k) reproduce means for causing a reproduction of the still image data recorded on said recording medium.

Claim 18

An electronic still camera according to claim 13, further comprising: a power source switch; and initial setting means, which operates when the power source switch is turned on, for causing the head control means to move the recording/reproduction head means to a track of the disk-type recording medium on which no data is recorded.

Claim 19

An electronic still camera according to claim 13, further comprising: a power source switch; and detecting means, which operates when the power source switch is turned on, for detecting whether or not the recording medium housing means is located at a predetermined position.

Claim 20

An electronic still camera according to claim 15, further comprising: display means for displaying results of detection performed by the detecting means.