Digital electronic camera for selectively recording a frame of still image and movie fields of image in a recording medium

Claim 2

A digital electronic camera comprising: imaging means for capturing an image of an object to be photographed and generating a corresponding electric signal; signal converter means for converting the electric signal into corresponding, digital image data; storing means for storing therein the image data: processor means for processing the image data stored in said storing means; recording means for recording the processed image data in a data recording medium; and input means for informing said processor means of either a first condition or a second condition when operated, the first condition defining a first operative mode, in which a still image of an object is to be recorded in the data recording medium, the second condition defining a second operative mode, in which movie images of the object are to be recorded in the data recording medium; said processor means comprising: condition detector means for determining which of the first condition or the second condition is informed by said input means; read-out means operative in response to said condition detector means for reading out the image data from said storing means; data compressing means for compressing the image data read out from said storing means; write-in means for providing said recording means with the compressed image data; mode selector means operative in response to said condition detector means for selecting either the first operative mode or the second operative mode; and drive means operative in response to said mode selector means for determining how to drive said imaging means; said data compressing means comprising; first compressing means operative in response to the first operative mode for compressing a frame of image data representing a still image of the object; and second compressing means operative in response to the second operative mode for compressing at least part of a consecutive plurality of fields or at least part of a consecutive plurality of frames of image data corresponding to movie images of the object.

Claim 3

A camera in accordance with claim 1, wherein said drive means is responsive to the first and second operative modes to generate first and second drive signals, respectively, causing said imaging means to develop the electric signal on frame and field bases, respectively; said read-out means being responsive to the first operative mode to read out the image data stored in said storing means, and to the second operative mode to read out consecutively part of the image data stored in said storing means in a period of time associated with the second condition informed by said input means.

Claim 4

A camera in accordance with claim 2, further comprising sensor means for sensing a movement of said camera to generate correspondingly an additional electric signal; said processor means further comprising: movement detector means operative in response to the additional electric signal for producing movement data associated with the additional electric signal; and correction means operative in response to the movement data and the second operative mode for producing correction data; said read-out means being responsive to the correction data to modify a position of the part of the image data and to read out the part of the image data in the modified position from said storing means to thereby compensate for a movement between the consecutive parts of image data read out from said storing means.

Claim 5

A camera in accordance with claim 2, wherein the second drive signal is formed to cause said imaging means to develop the electric signal on the field basis in a period of time substantially longer than a period of time in which said imaging means develops the electric signal on the frame basis.

Claim 6

A camera in accordance with claim 1, wherein said input means comprises switch means having a first stage at which said switch means informs, in operation, said processor means of the first condition, and a second stage at which said switch means informs, in operation, said processor means of the second condition.

Claim 7

A camera in accordance with claim 1, wherein said data recording medium comprises an optical disk on which data such as image data is to rewritably be recorded.

Claim 8

A digital electronic camera comprising; an image sensor for capturing an image of an object to be photographed and generating a corresponding electric signal; a signal converter for converting the electric signal into corresponding, digital image data; a storage circuit for storing therein the image data; a processor for processing the image data stored in said; storage circuit; a recorder circuit for recording the processed image data in a data recording medium; and an input device for informing said processor of either a first condition or a second condition when operated, the first condition defining a first operative mode in which a still image of an object is to be recorded in the data recording medium, the second condition defining a second operative mode in which movie images of the object are to be recorded in the data recording medium; said processor comprising; a condition detector circuit for determining which of the first condition or the second condition is informed by said input device; a read-out circuit operative in response to said condition detector circuit for reading out the image data from said storage circuit; a data compressing circuit for compressing the image data read out from said storage circuit; a write-in processor circuit for providing said recorder circuit with the compressed image data; a mode selector circuit operative in response to said condition detector circuit for selecting either the first operative mode or the second operative mode; and a driver circuit operative in response to said mode selector circuit for determining how to drive said image sensor; said data compressing circuit comprising; a first compressing circuit operative in response to the first operative mode for compressing a frame of image data representing a still image of the object; and a second compressing circuit operative in response to the second operative mode for compressing at least part of a consecutive plurality of fields or at least part of a consecutive plurality of frames of image data corresponding to movie images of the object.

Claim 9

A digital electronic camera comprising; an image sensor for capturing an image of an object to be photographed and generating a corresponding electric signal; a signal converter for converting the electric signal into corresponding, digital image data; a storage circuit for storing therein the image data; a processor for processing the image data stored in said; storage circuit; a recorder circuit for recording the processed image data in a data recording medium; and an input device for informing said processor of either a first condition or a second condition when operated, the first condition defining a first operative mode in which a still image of an object is to be recorded in the data recording medium, the second condition defining a second operative mode in which movie images of the object are to be recorded in the data recording medium; said processor comprising; a condition detector circuit for determining which of the first condition or the second condition is informed by said input device; a read-out circuit operative in response to said condition detector circuit for reading out the image data from said storage circuit; a data compressing circuit for compressing the image data read out from said storage circuit; a write-in processor circuit for providing said recorder circuit with the compressed image data; a mode selector circuit operative in response to said condition detector circuit for selecting either the first operative mode or the second operative mode; and a driver circuit operative in response to said mode selector circuit for determining how to drive said image sensor; said data compressing circuit comprising; a first compressing circuit operative in response to the first operative mode for compressing a frame of image data representing a still image of the object; and a second compressing circuit operative in response to the second operative mode for compressing at least part of a consecutive plurality of fields or at least part of a consecutive plurality of frames of image data corresponding to movie images of the object.

Claim 10

A camera in accordance with claim 7, wherein said driver circuit is responsive to the first and second operative modes to generate first and second drive signals, respectively, causing said image sensor to develop the electric signal on frame and field bases, respectively; said read-out processor circuit being responsive to the first operative mode to read out the image data stored in said storage circuit, and to the second operative mode to read out consecutively part of the image data stored in said storage circuit in a period of time associated with the second condition informed by said input device.

Claim 11

A camera in accordance with claim 8, further comprising a sensor device for sensing a movement of said camera to generate correspondingly an additional electric signal; said processor further comprising: a movement detector circuit operative in response to the additional electric signal for producing movement data associated with the additional electric signal; and a correction circuit operative in response to the movement data and the second operative mode for producing correction data; said read-out processor circuit being responsive to the correction data to modify a position of the part of the image data and to read out the part of the image data in the modified position from said storage circuit to thereby compensate for a movement between the consecutive parts of image data read out from said storage circuit.

Claim 12

A camera in accordance with claim 8, wherein said input device comprises a manually operable switch having a first stage at which said switch informs, in operation, said processor of the first condition, and a second stage at which said switch informs, in operation, said processor of the second condition.