JP2002057980A - Video and audio recording device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Problem] To provide a digital image and audio recording apparatus capable of reproducing simultaneously recorded audio only by accessing a compressed still image data file. When simultaneously recording a still image and audio, a plurality of headers permitted by the standard of the compressed still image data file are used, and the compressed audio data is divided and recorded.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image and sound recording apparatus for recording an image with sound.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A digital still camera is a typical device for generating an input image to an image processing device such as a computer. In this method, an optical image is photoelectrically converted by using an image pickup device such as a CCD, A / D converted to generate digital image data, and then JPEG (Joint Photographic).
The compressed image data is generated by performing a compression process in an image compression process of an Experts Group or the like, and is recorded on a recording medium such as a PC card.

[0003] In recent years, there has been an increasing need for recording audio together with a digital still camera. This includes
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H11-136623 discloses a digital still camera in which an audio input unit such as a microphone and an audio compression unit are provided, and still image compression data and audio data are recorded as independent files.

[0004]

In the above-mentioned prior art, there is only a recording method in which audio data and still image data are stored in different files, and other recording methods are not considered. Depending on the type and time of the audio data to be recorded, the data capacity may be extremely small, and if one file is assigned to the audio data, the recording capacity may be wasted.

In order to eliminate this waste, a method of changing the file format of the still image with sound to a new file format is considered. However, the still image is JPEG-compressed, and only the JPEG still image conforming to this standard is used. When a still image data with sound in a new file format is given to a device capable of reproducing, it is required that at least only a still image can be reproduced.

[0006] The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems and provides a JPEG
It is an object of the present invention to provide a recording apparatus capable of efficiently recording still image data with sound while maintaining versatility of a file.

[0007] In the above prior art, related information is added to both the still image compression data file and the audio compression data file. However, the still image compression data file and the audio compression data file which are independently recorded are added. Due to processing such as file name change, movement, and deletion, even if the related information in each file remains, the corresponding file may not be found and accurate reproduction may not be possible.

[0008] A further object of the present invention is that, in addition to the above objects, even if a process such as changing, moving or deleting a file name is performed, only a still image compressed data file is accessed.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a digital image and audio recording device capable of reproducing simultaneously recorded audio.

[0009]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, according to the present invention, when a still image with sound is recorded, the compressed audio data is replaced with a header which is permitted by the standard of the compressed still image data file. Multiple headers are used and divided into this header for recording. In addition, for each of the divided compressed audio data,
The header connection information indicating the recording order between headers may be added and recorded.

In order to achieve a further object, audio recorded simultaneously with a still picture is recorded in a header of a compressed still picture data file recorded at the same time as one file. If the capacity of the compressed audio data exceeds the header capacity permitted by the standard of the compressed still image data file during recording, a new compressed still image data file that records the same compressed still image data is generated. Then, the subsequent compressed audio data may be divided and recorded in the header portion.

[0011]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a recording apparatus for recording a still image with sound according to the present invention. Hereinafter, the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

Reference numeral 1 denotes a lens, 2 denotes an image sensor, 3 denotes an amplifier circuit (hereinafter referred to as AMP), 4 denotes an image analog / digital converter (hereinafter referred to as A / D), 5 denotes a camera signal processing unit, and 6 denotes a camera signal processing unit. Buffer memory, 7 is an encoder, 8 is an image digital / analog converter (hereinafter referred to as D / A), 9
Denotes an output terminal, 10 denotes a CPU, 11 denotes a calculation work memory of the CPU, 12 denotes a still image compression / expansion processing unit, 13 denotes an audio compression / expansion unit, and 14 denotes an interface processing unit (hereinafter referred to as I / O processing unit).
/ F), 15 is a recording medium, 16 is an address /
A data bus, 17 is a control SW, 18 is a microphone, 19 is an analog / digital converter for audio (hereinafter referred to as A / D), 20 is a digital / analog converter for audio (hereinafter referred to as D / A), and 21 is It is a speaker.

An optical signal incident from a lens 1 is converted to an image sensor 2
Image. The image sensor 2 converts the formed optical signal into an electric signal and outputs it as an analog image signal. The imaging device 2 is configured using a known device such as a CCD, a MOS, or a CID, or a device similar thereto.

The AMP3 switches the gain of the analog image signal to an amplitude suitable for a subsequent circuit and outputs the signal. When a CCD is used as the imaging device 2, a circuit known as a correlated double sampling circuit (not shown) known as a video camera is added at this position.

The A / D 4 converts an analog image signal output from the AMP 3 into a digital signal. The camera signal processing circuit 5 performs known processing such as gamma correction and white balance correction on the digitized image signal, and outputs baseband digital image data including a luminance signal and a color difference signal. This digital image data is converted into a color difference signal modulated on a subcarrier by the encoder 7,
It is output as a digital composite signal synthesized with a luminance signal of a baseband digital image signal or a digital component signal which remains independent.
This digital composite signal or digital component signal is input to the D / A 8 and is subjected to digital / analog conversion. As a result, an analog composite signal or a component signal is output to the output terminal 9, and an image can be monitored by connecting to a TV monitor, LCD, or the like (not shown).

Here, when the user operates the control SW 17 to instruct the start of recording, the following processing is performed. The digital image data is stored in the buffer memory 6. CP
The U10 reads the digital image data stored in the buffer memory 6 via the address / data bus 16, and inputs the digital image data to the compression / decompression processing unit 12 to perform compression processing to generate compressed still image data. CPU 10
The compressed still image data is temporarily stored in the work memory 11 via the address / data bus 16 and subjected to an editing process to generate a compressed still image data file. The compressed still image data is read from the work memory 11 and read by a computer or the like. A known file system such as DOS-FAT
/ F14 to be recorded on the recording medium 15 as a compressed still image data file.

The still image compression processing is not particularly limited, but is a known technique such as JPEG (Joint Photographic).
Experts Group) method is used.

FIG. 2 shows an example of the recording state of the compressed still image data on the recording medium 15. Hereinafter, for the sake of simplicity, the description will be made assuming that DOS-FAT is used for the file system and JPEG is used for the image compression technique. 201,
202 is a directory, and 203 and 204 are still image compressed data files. The CPU 10 creates a root directory ROOT 201 in a recording area of the recording medium 15 and a directory IMAGE01202 for recording a still image compression data file generated by the apparatus when the recording medium 15 is inserted.

Thereafter, each time the recording operation is executed by the user operating the control SW 17, the still image compressed data files 00000001.JPG 203, 00000002.J are stored in the IMAGE 01202.
PG204... Are sequentially recorded.

FIG. 3 shows the structure of the stored still image compressed data file. This is a schematic representation of the data structure of JPEG. Still image compressed data file 30
1 is a marker SOI (Start
of image) 302, a header 303 describing various parameters, compressed still image data 304, and a marker EOI (End of Image) 305 indicating the end of the file.

The above operation is to record one piece of compressed still image data in one photographing operation.

Next, the operation of a mode for simultaneously recording a still image and sound (hereinafter referred to as a still image mode with sound), which is a feature of the present invention, will be described.

In the digital image recording apparatus shown in FIG.
When the user operates the control SW 17 to select the still image mode with sound and instruct the start of recording, the following processing is performed. The CPU 10 stores the digital image data output from the camera signal processing 6 in the buffer memory 6, performs compression processing on the digital image data by the compression / expansion processing circuit 12 to generate still image compression data, To be stored. In parallel with this, the audio input from the microphone 18 is converted into digital audio data by the A / D 19, and the audio compression / expansion unit 13 generates audio compression data. The CPU 10 converts the compressed audio data into an address /
The data is stored in the work memory 11 via the data bus 16, and a still image file with audio is generated by integrating the compressed still image data and the compressed audio data, and is recorded on the recording medium 15 via the I / F 14.

At this time, the CPU 10 edits the still image file with sound to be recorded into the structure of a compressed still image data file conforming to the JPEG standard. Specifically, the following method is used.

In JPEG, MAX64k is included in the header.
Up to 16 application segments (hereinafter referred to as APP) that can be freely used in byte applications (APP
0 ~ APP15) It is allowed to have. (Actually, not all application segments may be used due to various restrictions. However, here, it is assumed that all 16 application segments can be used.) Even if audio compression data is recorded here, PC The application is a normal J
Handled as a PEG file, there is no problem with still image playback. Therefore, in this embodiment, the compressed audio data is divided into a divisible capacity of 64 kbytes (to be exact, 65534 bytes in the standard) and recorded in the APP.

FIG. 4 shows the structure of a still image file with sound in this embodiment. Still image file 4 with sound
01 conforms to the JPEG structure, includes a marker SOI (Start of Image) 402 indicating the beginning of the file, a header section 403 describing various parameters, and compressed still image data 404.
And an end-of-image marker EOI (End of Image) 405.
Are divided into APP0407, APP1408, APP2409... APPn410 and recorded. It is obvious that the required number of APPs changes according to the capacity of the audio recording data due to the change in the audio recording time and the compression ratio.

Next, the configuration of the audio compression data in the APP according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. The audio compression processing is not particularly limited, but is a well-known technique such as MPEG (Moving Pi
MPEG Expert system standardized by the MPEG Experts Group.

FIG. 5 shows the data structure of MPEG audio. The MPEG compressed audio data 501 is an AAU (Audio Access Unit) 502 which is the minimum unit that can be independently restored to an audio signal.
Is an aggregate of The AUU includes a header 503, compressed audio data 504, and ancillary data 505 that can be freely used by the user. The data capacity of the AUU is defined by the number of samples × transmission speed / sampling frequency. For example, in the case of Layer I, the number of samples is defined as 384. If the transmission speed is 128 kbps and the sampling frequency is selected at 48 kHz, 1024 bits (128 bits) Part-Time Job)
Becomes Since the transmission speed is 128 kbps, 1 AUU is 1
024 / 128k ≒ 7.8 ms of voice is stored.

That is, as shown in FIG. 6, one APP has A
Recording a set of UUs will not hinder audio playback. At this time, if the AUU is configured under the above conditions, when all 16 APPs are used, 64 kbytes × 16/128 × 7.8 ms ≒ 60 s of audio can be recorded in the still image compressed data file.

According to this embodiment, since the compressed audio data is divided and stored in the header permitted in the standard of the compressed still image data file, the still image with audio is maintained while maintaining the general versatility of the still JPEG data. Image files can be generated, existing PC application files can be used, and still images with sound can be recorded efficiently.

According to the present embodiment, the compressed audio data recorded simultaneously with a part of the compressed still image data file is stored, and the still image with audio is included in one file. Just by accessing, you can play back the recorded voice at the same time. Therefore, compared to the case where the still image compressed data file and the audio compressed data file are separated from each other, even if the file name of the still image compressed data file is changed, since the still image compressed data file and the sound are the same, the file name is changed. The inconvenience of not being able to play audio with the change of
Since the audio data moves with the still image file,
It is also possible to avoid the inconvenience that audio cannot be reproduced due to the movement of the compressed still image data file. That is, there is an effect that file management becomes easy.

Next, a second embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.
This will be described with reference to FIG. This is equivalent to A in the first embodiment.
This is the header connection information indicating the audio recording order added to the head or tail AUU ancillary data in the PP.

APP0407 in FIG. 7 and APP1408 in FIG. 8 record continuous compressed audio data, and the header name (here, the continuous AUU is stored in the ancillary data 703 of the last AAU 702 in the APP0407). The header link information 703 describing APP1) is described, and the header link information 803 describing the header (here, APP0) in which the immediately preceding AUU is stored is described in the ancillary data 802 of the head AUU 801 in the APP1408.

Thus, when reproducing the compressed audio data, the position of the next AUU which is continuous but has a different APP becomes clear, so that smooth reproduction is facilitated. Also, in reverse playback, the last AU of the same APP is clear because the immediately preceding APP is clear.
By searching for U, reverse playback is also easy.

Further, in the editing work, any AUU in the APP
In header connection information, or AUU in header connection information
By adding the number or time information, the playback order can be set freely.

According to this embodiment, in addition to the first embodiment, the recording order is clarified by connecting information to the divided and recorded audio compressed data, so that not only reproduction but also special reproduction and editing can be easily performed. There are effects that can be realized.

Next, a third embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

In this embodiment, during recording of a still image with audio, the audio compression data is stored in the entire APP at a capacity of 64 kbytes × 16.
= 1 Mbyte. The CPU 10 outputs a still image file 90 with sound.
1 is recorded on the recording medium 15 via the I / F 14, and the audio compression data is continuously stored in the work memory 11, while the audio compression data (1) 902 already stored in the work memory 11 A still image compression data file 904 is generated. The compressed audio data (2) subsequent to the compressed still image data file is recorded by performing the same processing as in the above embodiment. The user controls the same process SW
The operation is repeated until the recording stop is instructed by operating 17. As a result, all the audio compression data can be recorded in the JPEG standard still image compression data file.

According to the present embodiment, in addition to the effects described in the first embodiment, there is an effect that audio can be recorded even when the capacity exceeds the capacity for recording a still image file.

Next, a fourth embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

In this embodiment, instead of generating a new still image file with sound using the same still image compressed data in the third embodiment, a new still image is shot and the still image compressed data ( 2) A still image file 1003 with sound is generated by generating 1004. However, photographing of a new still image is not performed only when the audio compressed data exceeds the capacity of all APPs of 64 kbytes × 16 = 1 Mbyte. Can be performed at the timing described below.

Also in the present embodiment, it is possible to obtain an effect that audio and still images can be efficiently recorded while maintaining the versatility of the JPEG file. When moving or changing the still image file, in order to reproduce all the corresponding audio files, file connection information as in the fifth embodiment described below is created, and the still image file is created. It is necessary to change the connection information according to the movement or change.

Next, a fifth embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

This is because, in the continuous still image files with sound described in the third and fourth embodiments, the first still image files with sound 901 and 1101 and the sound files of the still image files with sound 904 and 1003 that follow. This is to add file connection information indicating the recording order between files to the ancillary data of the compressed data AUU.

Here, a description will be given assuming that the leading still image file name with sound is 00000001.JPG and the subsequent still image file name with sound is 00000002.JPG. The end of 00000001.JPG
The file connection information 1101 is added to the ancillary data of the last AAU stored in APP15 which is an APP, and the file connection information 1 is added to the ancillary data of the first AUU stored in APP0 which is the first APP of a continuous still image file with sound 0000002.JPG.
102 is described.

In the file connection information 1101, the file name 00000002.JPG and AUU which are subsequently recorded and stored are A
The PP number APP0 is stored, and the file name 0000001.JPG and AUU recorded immediately before are stored in the file connection information 1102.
Since the APP number APP15 is described, it is possible to easily search for the AUU of the audio compression data that straddles the file, and to easily realize reproduction and editing.

Also in the present embodiment, it is possible to obtain an effect that audio and still images can be efficiently recorded while maintaining the versatility of the JPEG file. When the still image file is moved or changed, the file connection information may be changed in accordance with the change or movement of the still image file.

Next, a sixth embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

FIG. 12 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a digital image and audio recording apparatus according to the present invention.

This generates compressed still image data and compressed audio data from an image signal input from outside the device,
A recording unit 1201 is an image input terminal, 1202 is a level setting circuit, 803 is an external signal processing unit, 1204 is an audio input terminal, 1205 is an audio output terminal, and the other configuration is the same as that of the digital image recording apparatus of FIG. It is.

The image signal input to the external input terminal 1201 here is an image signal from a video camera, a TV, a VTR, or the like, and is of a television standard of a known standard such as NTSC or PAL.

The image signal input from the image input terminal 1201 is set to a DC level by a level setting circuit 1202 by a known technique such as a clamp circuit, and is input to the A / D 4. The A / D 4 is an externally input analog image. Convert the signal to a digital signal. The external signal processing unit 1203
Known signal processing such as GC, ACC, sync separation, Y / C separation and the like is performed to generate baseband digital image data including a luminance signal and a color difference signal.

With the above arrangement, it becomes possible to take in an image signal from an external device as digital image data into a digital image recording apparatus.
By performing the same processing as in the fifth embodiment, a still image file with sound can be recorded on the recording medium 15.

In the present invention, the form of the input signal is not particularly limited, and one digital image recording apparatus is constructed by combining the camera signal processing described with reference to FIG. 1 and the external input processing described with reference to FIG. It is obvious that various input forms can be considered.

[0055]

As described above, according to the present invention, the audio compressed data is divided and stored in the header of the compressed still image data file, so that the still image file with audio can be stored while maintaining the versatility of the compressed still image data. A still image with sound can be efficiently recorded.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a recording state of a compressed still image data file according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a compressed still image data file (JPEG) structure.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating the structure of a still image file with audio generated in the first embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a compressed audio data (MPEG audio) structure.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating the structure of compressed audio data generated in the first embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram illustrating the structure of compressed audio data generated in the second embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram illustrating the structure of compressed audio data generated in the second embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram illustrating the structure of a still image file with audio generated in the third embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram illustrating the structure of a still image file with audio generated in a fourth embodiment.

FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram of description contents of connection information added in a fifth embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a block diagram showing a sixth embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Lens 2 ... Image sensor 3 ... AMP4 ... A / D5 ... Camera signal processing part 6 ... Buffer memory 7 ... Encoder 8 ... D / A9 ... Output terminal 10 ... CPU 11 ... Work memory 12 ... Still image compression / Decompression processing unit 13 Audio compression / decompression unit 14 I / F 15 Recording medium 16 Address / data bus 17 User control SW 18 Microphone 201, 202 Directory 203, 204 Compressed still image data file 301, 401 ... Still picture compressed data (JPEG) 302, 402 Marker SOI (Start of Image) 303, 403 Header 304, 404, 902, 1004 Still picture compressed data 305, 405 Marker EOI (End of Image) 401, 901 , 904, 1001, 1003 ... Still image file with sound 407, 408 ,, 410 ... Application segment (APP) 501 MPEG compressed data 502, 702, 801 AUU (Audio Access Unit) 503 Header 504 Compressed audio data 505, 702, 802 Ancillary data 703, 803 Header connection information 1101, 1102 ... File connection information 1201 ... Image input terminal 1202 ... Level setting circuit 1203 ... External signal processing unit 1204 ... Audio input terminal 1205 ... Audio output terminal

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page F term (reference) 5C022 AA13 AC02 AC42 AC69 AC72 5C053 FA10 GB11 GB36 GB37 HA27 JA05 5C078 AA04 BA21 CA00 DA00 DA01

Claims (9)

[Claims] An image pickup device for photoelectrically converting an optical image, an image A / D converter for converting an image signal output from the image pickup device into a digital image signal, and an image output from the image A / D converter Image compression means for compressing a digital image signal; microphone for inputting audio; audio A / D conversion means for converting an analog audio signal output from the microphone into a digital audio signal; and audio A / D conversion means. Audio compression means for compressing the output digital audio signal, wherein the image compression data output from the image compression means and the audio compression data output from the audio compression means are recorded on a recording medium in a file format. An image and sound recording apparatus, characterized in that the sound compression data is recorded in a header of a file of the image compression data. 2. An external image input means, an image A / D conversion means for converting an analog image signal input from the external image input means into a digital image signal, and a digital signal output from the image A / D conversion means. Image compression means for compressing an image signal; external audio input means; audio A / D conversion means for converting an analog audio signal input from the external input means into a digital audio signal; and audio A / D conversion means. Audio compression means for compressing the output digital audio signal, wherein the image compression data output from the image compression means and the audio compression data output from the audio compression means are recorded on a recording medium in a file format. An image and sound recording apparatus, characterized in that the sound compression data is recorded in a header of a file of the image compression data. 3. The video and audio recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the compressed audio data is divided and recorded in a plurality of headers of the compressed video data. 4. The video and audio recording apparatus according to claim 3, wherein header divided information indicating a recording order between headers is added to a part of the divided compressed audio data and recorded. 5. The image and sound recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image is a still image, and has a still image mode with sound for recording sound together with the still image. In the still image mode with sound, the image and sound recording device records the sound compression data in a header of a still image compression data file of a still image recorded together with the sound. 6. If the capacity of the compressed audio data exceeds a predetermined capacity, a second file identical to the compressed still image file recorded together with the predetermined volume of audio is recorded on the recording medium. The video and audio recording apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the compressed audio data exceeding a predetermined capacity is sequentially recorded in a header of a compressed still image data file recorded on a recording medium. 7. When the capacity of the compressed audio data exceeds a predetermined capacity, the compressed still image data obtained by the new shooting is recorded on the recording medium, and the compressed audio data exceeding the predetermined capacity is stored in the storage medium. 6. The image and sound recording apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the recording is performed in a header of a compressed still image data file obtained by new shooting. 8. The video and audio recording apparatus according to claim 6, wherein a part of the compressed audio data recorded in the plurality of compressed still image files includes file connection information indicating a recording order between the files. An image / audio recording device characterized by being added. 9. The image and sound recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said image compression means performs image compression in accordance with JPEG compression, and said sound compression means performs MPM processing.
An image and sound recording apparatus for performing sound compression according to EG compression.