Information input apparatus - Patent Review 7058286

What is claimed is:

1. An information processing apparatus, comprising: information receiving means for receiving first and second types of information; conversion means for digitizing said first and second types of information; detection means for detecting the times said first and second types of information are received by said receiving means; annexing means for annexing header information to said first and second types of digitized information, with said header information comprising said times; recording means for recording said digitized information with said annexed header information into an electronic memory; reproduction means for reproducing said recorded information and deleting means for deleting one of said first and second digitized information from said electronic memory when said first and second header informations are the same without deleting the other of said first and second digitized information from said electronic memory.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: said annexing means includes means for annexing the same header information that is already annexed to said first type of information, during reproduction of said first type of information, to said second type of information while recording said second type of information.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: said annexing means includes means for replacing header information that is already annexed to said first type of information with the same header information that is annexed to said second type of information.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further including: a first modification means for modifying a rate of speed at which said information receiving means receives said first type of information; and a second modification means for modifying a time interval during which said information receiving means receives said second type of information in proportion to the results of said modifying of said first modification means.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein: said first type of information comprises photographic images and said second type of information comprises sounds and said second modification means modifies said time interval to 1/N seconds when said first modification means has modified said rate of speed to N photographic frames per second.

6. An information processing apparatus, comprising: a photographic lens; a microphone; a photoelectric device, said photoelectric device being connected to said photographic lens for receiving images from said photographic lens and converting said images into electrical signals; an analog/digital conversion device, said analog/digital conversion device being connected to said photoelectric device and said microphone for digitizing analog signals received from said photoelectric device and said microphone; an electronic memory for recording said digitized signals; a microprocessor, said microprocessor being connected to said analog/digital conversion device and having a clock circuit for recording the times when said photoelectric device receives said images and said microphone receives sounds, an annexing means for annexing said times as header information to said digitized signals, reproduction means for retrieving said digitized signals from said electronic memory, and deleting means for deleting one of first and second digitized signals from said electronic memory when first and second header informations associated with the first and second digitized signals are the same without deleting the other of said first and second digitized signals from said electronic memory.

7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 6, further including: a touch tablet for receiving input information by contact with said touch tablet, said touch tablet being connected to said microprocessor and providing digitized signals corresponding to said contact to said microprocessor.

8. A method of processing information with an information processing device having information receiving means, conversion means for digitizing information received by the information receiving means, an electronic memory, and a microprocessor, said microprocessor having a clock circuit, an annexing means and reproduction means, said method including the steps of: receiving a first type of information with said information receiving means; converting said first type of information into first digital signals; detecting a first time that said first type of information is received by said information receiving means; annexing said first time as first header information to said first digital signals; recording said first digital signals with said first header information on said electronic memory; reproducing said first digital signals while receiving a second type of information with said information receiving means; converting said second type of information into second digital signals; detecting a second time that said second type of information is received by said information receiving means; annexing said second time as second header information to said second digital signals, and replacing said first header information recorded with said first digital signals with said second header information; and deleting one of said first and second digital signals from said electronic memory when said first and second header informations are the same without deleting the other of said first and second digital signals from said electronic memory.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein: said step of receiving a first type of information comprises receiving an image through a photographic lens; said step of converting said first type of information comprises converting said image into first analog electrical signals with a photoelectric device and subsequently converting said first analog electrical signals into first digital signals; and said step of reproducing said first digital signals while receiving a second type of information comprises reproducing said first digital signals while receiving sounds with a microphone, said microphone converting said sounds into second analog electrical signals.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein: said first header information is annexed to said first and second digital signals.

11. The method of claim 9, further including: receiving a third type of information with said information receiving means; converting said third type of information into third digital signals; detecting a third time said third type of information is received by said information receiving means; annexing said third time as third header information to said third digital signals; and recording said third digital signals with said third header information on said electronic memory.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein: said step of receiving a third type of information comprises receiving two-dimensional data by contact of a writing instrument with a surface on said information processing device, wherein said surface senses the positions assumed by said writing instrument.

13. An information input apparatus comprising: input means for inputting a plurality of types of information; attaching means for attaching a specified header information to information input by said input means; recording means for recording the information to which said header information is attached; replay means for replaying information recorded by said recording means; and control means for ensuring that when new information is input by said input means while information recorded by said recording means is being replayed by said replay means, the header information attached to said information being replayed and header information attached to said new information are one of the same and related header information.

14. A recording medium on which is recorded a control program for controlling an information input device to cause the information input device to: input a plurality of types of information; attach specified header information to the input information; record information to which said header information is attached; replay the recorded information; and when new information is input while recorded information is being replayed, the header information attached to said information being replayed is made to be one of the same and related header information to the header information attached to said new information.

15. An information input apparatus comprising: an input device that inputs a plurality of types of information; an electronic memory into which the plurality of types of information input with the input device are recorded; a replay device that replays the information that has been recorded in the electronic memory; and a controller, the controller being connected to the input device, the output device and the electronic memory, the controller attaching a specified header information to the information that has been input with the input device for recording in the electronic memory, the controller ensuring that when new information is input by the input device while information recorded in the electronic memory is being replayed, header information attached to the information being replayed and header information attached to the new information are one of the same and related header information.

16. A method of processing information with an information input apparatus, the method comprising: inputting a plurality of types of information into the information input apparatus; attaching a specified header information to information input into the information input apparatus; recording the information to which the header information is attached; and replaying the information that has been recorded; wherein when new information is input into the information input apparatus while information that has been recorded is being replayed, the header information attached to the information being replayed and header information attached to the new information being input are one of the same and related header information.

17. An information processing apparatus, comprising: information receiving means for receiving first and second types of information; conversion means for digitizing said first and second types of information; detection means for detecting the times said first and second types of information are received by said receiving means; annexing means for annexing header information to said first and second types of digitized information, with said header information comprising said times; recording means for recording said digitized information with said annexed header information into an electronic memory; reproduction means for reproducing said recorded information; and deleting means for deleting said first type of information from said electronic memory with said first type of information having said first time annexed thereto and deleting said second type of information having said second time annexed thereto when said second time is equal to said first time.

18. An information processing apparatus, comprising: a photographic lens; a microphone; a photoelectric device, said photoelectric device being connected to said photographic lens for receiving images from said photographic lens and converting said images into electrical signals; an analog/digital conversion device, said analog/digital conversion device being connected to said photoelectric device and said microphone for digitizing analog signals received from said photoelectric device and said microphone; an electronic memory for recording said digitized signals; and a microprocessor, said microprocessor being connected to said analog/digital conversion device and having a clock circuit for recording the times when said photoelectric device receives said images and said microphone receives sounds, an annexing means for annexing said times as header information to said digitized signals, reproduction means for retrieving said digitized signals from said electronic memory, and deleting means for deleting first digitized signals from said electronic memory with said first digitized signals having a first time annexed thereto and deleting second digitized signals having a second time annexed thereto when said second time is equal to said first time.

19. A method of processing information with an information processing device having information receiving means, an electronic memory, and a microprocessor, said microprocessor having a clock circuit, an annexing means and reproduction means, said method including the steps of: receiving a first type of information with said information receiving means; converting said first type of information into first digital signals; detecting a first time that said first type of information is received by said information receiving means; annexing said first time as first header information to said first digital signals; recording said first digital signals with said first header information on said electronic memory; reproducing said first digital signals while receiving a second type of information with said information receiving means; converting said second type of information into second digital signals; detecting a second time that said second type of information is received by said information receiving means; annexing said second time as second header information to said second digital signals, and replacing said first header information recorded with said first digital signals with said second header information; and deleting said first digital signals from said electronic memory with said first digital signals having said first time annexed thereto and deleting said second digital signals having said second time annexed thereto when said second time is equal to said first time.

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INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

The disclosures of the following priority applications are herein incorporated by reference: Japanese Patent Applications Nos. 8-081167, filed Apr. 3, 1996, 8-081165 filed Apr. 3, 1996, 9-84770, filed Apr. 3, 1997 and 9-82687, filed Apr. 1, 1997.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

The present invention relates to an information input apparatus. More particularly, it relates to an information input apparatus whereby, when a second type of information has been input in a format added to a first type of information, after having recorded the first type of information with header information including the input date and time of the first type of information, addition of information can be performed easily by recording the second type of information while annexing header information identical to or related to the first type of information.

2. Description of Related Art

Conventionally, it has been made possible to record video images and sounds on magnetic tape (video tape) using devices such as a video camera.

Furthermore, as a type of information input apparatus to photograph objects, electronic cameras have been used widely that convert the photographic images into digital image data and record it on recording media such as memory cards. Certain conventional digital cameras have a sound recording function. However, such conventional digital cameras record sounds only in a predefined time period for each photographic image when operating the sound recording switch while photographing the objects.

Among the conventional electronic cameras discussed above are those having the function (sound recording time modification switch) of modifying the sound recording time for one frame of the photographic images, e.g., to 15 seconds, 10 seconds, 5 seconds, etc., and the user can set the desired sound recording time per frame of the photographic images by operating this modification switch.

Furthermore, there is also technology that records video images and sounds on a 2-inch, so-called still video floppy. In this case, to record simultaneously the video images and sounds, it is necessary that the tracks on which the video images are recorded be next to those on which the sounds are recorded.

With conventional digital cameras, when first photographing video images using a video camera and thereafter adding sounds to those video images, such operations become complicated since it is necessary to rewind the video tape to the position where it is desired to add the sounds. Furthermore, it is necessary to record the sounds while synchronizing them with the video images recorded in that position. Similar operations become necessary even when the sounds are recorded first and the video images are added thereafter.

Additional problems occur when recording video images and sounds using conventional electronic cameras. For example, to record sounds when photographing objects in continuous mode, such as when photographing at 30 frames per second, it is necessary to synchronize the sound recording time per frame to the photographic interval of one frame ( 1/30 seconds).

When reproducing recorded photographic images and sounds wherein the recording time of the sounds per frame is shorter than the photographic interval at that time, the sounds that get reproduced are disconnected (continuous sounds are not reproduced).

Additionally, when the recording time of the sounds per frame is longer than the photographic interval at that time, once again there is a lack of synchronization between the images and the sound.

Conventional information input apparatus do not include a means for setting the sound recording time to be equal to the photographic interval of each frame in continuous mode, even when using the sound recording time modification switch mentioned above.

Another inherent problem with conventional information input technology such as the still video floppy mentioned above, is that in order to add sounds to recorded video images, it is necessary to empty the tracks next to the tracks on which the video images are recorded, and thereafter to record the sounds on those tracks. Such operations are complicated and time consuming.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is made in consideration of the above-discussed inherent problems with conventional information input apparatus, and is intended to make it possible to easily input video images and sounds in proper synchronization.

The information input apparatus of the present invention comprises a photographic means that photographs objects; a sound recording means that records sounds; a first modification means that modifies the number of frames of the photographic images per unit time of the photographic means; a second modification means that modifies the sound recording time of the sound recording means per frame of the photographic images, corresponding to the number of frames of the photographic images modified by the first modification means; and a recording means that records in a first area each frame of the photographic images photographed by the photographic means, and records in a second area the sounds recorded by the sound recording means for each frame of the photographic images.

In the information input apparatus of the present invention, the photographic means photographs objects, and the sound recording means records sounds. The first modification means modifies the number of frames of the photographic images per unit time of the photographic means. The second modification means modifies the sound recording time of the sound recording means per frame of the photographic images, corresponding to the number of frames of the photographic images modified by the first modification means. The recording means records in a first area each frame of the photographic images photographed by the photographic means, and records in a second area the sounds recorded by the sound recording means for each frame of the photographic images.

The information input apparatus of the present invention further comprises an input means that inputs multiple types of information; a conversion means that digitizes the information input by the input means; a detection means that detects the input time of the information input by the input means; an annexing means that annexes to the digitized information header information representing the input time of the input information; a recording means that records the information having annexed the header information; and a reproduction means that reproduces the information recorded by the recording means; whereby, when a second type of information is input while a first type of information recorded by the recording means is being reproduced, the annexing means, annexes to the first type of information and the second type of information the identical or related header information.

In the information input apparatus of the present invention, the input means inputs multiple types of information. The conversion means digitizes the information input by the input means. The detection means detects the input time of the information input by the input means. The annexing means annexes to the digitized information header information representing the input time of the input information. The recording means records the information having annexed the header information. The reproduction means reproduces the information recorded by the recording means. The annexing means, when a second type of information is input while a first type of information recorded by the recording means is being reproduced, annexes to the first type of information and the second type of information the identical or related header information.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of one embodiment of the information input apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of the information input apparatus shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a rear perspective view partially showing the internal structure of the information input apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 4 is a block drawing representative of the interrelationship between internal electrical structure of the information input apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 5 is an elevational view showing the display screen operated when reproducing recorded information.

FIG. 6 is a drawing explaining the thinning-out processing of pixels during L mode.

FIG. 7 is a drawing explaining the thinning-out processing of pixels during H mode.

FIG. 8 is a drawing explaining the header information of each type of information when having pressed simultaneously the release switch 10 and the sound recording switch 12.

FIG. 9 is a drawing explaining the header information of each type of information when having pressed the sound recording switch 12, and then having pressed the release switch 10.

FIG. 10 is a drawing explaining the header information of each type of information when having pressed the release switch 10, and then having pressed the sound recording switch 12.

FIG. 11 is a front perspective view showing an embodiment of the information input apparatus as held by the left hand.

FIG. 12 is a rear perspective view of the embodiment of the information input apparatus of FIG. 11 as held by the left hand.

FIG. 13 is a front perspective view showing another embodiment of the information input apparatus as held by the left hand.

FIG. 14 is a rear perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 13 as held by the left hand.

FIGS. 15 20 are flowcharts showing processing performed by the controller according to various aspects of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIGS. 1 and 2 show the structure of a preferred embodiment of the information input apparatus 1 according to the present invention. When photographing an object with the information input apparatus, the side facing the object is X1, and the side facing the user is X2. Side X1 forms the front surface of input apparatus 1 and side X2 forms the back surface of input apparatus 1. An upper portion of front surface X1 extending across the width of the apparatus 1 projects forward from the rest of the front surface to form an upper projection. A finder 2 used to confirm the photographic range of the object, a photographic lens 3 that takes in the light image of the object, and a flash component 4 that emits light to illuminate the object are all arranged across the upper projection at the upper end of the side X1.

The back end of finder 2 and a speaker 5 for generating sounds recorded by the information input apparatus 1 are provided across the back surface of the apparatus 1, at the upper end of side X2 opposite the upper projection from side X1. Also, an LCD 6 (display device) and operating keys 7A, 7B, 7C, 7D and 7E are positioned on side X2 vertically below the finder 2, photographic lens 3, flash component 4, and speaker 5. A portion of the surface of the LCD 6 comprises a touch tablet 6A. Touch tablet 6A senses contact by a pen-type pointing device and inputs two-dimensional positional information corresponding to the contact.

Touch tablet 6A comprises a transparent resin such as glass resin, and the user can observe through touch tablet 6A the images displayed on LCD 6.

The operating keys 7A, 7B, 7C, 7D and 7E provide various functions such as executing reproduction of the recorded data displayed to the LCD 6. Menu key 7A is the key operated when displaying menu screens (not shown) to the LCD 6. Execute (run) key 7B is the key operated when reproducing recorded information selected by the user (described later).

Clear key 7C is the key operated when deleting recorded information. Cancel key 7D is the key operated when aborting reproduction processing of recorded information. Scroll key 7E is the key operated to scroll the screen up and down when a list of recorded information is displayed to the LCD 6 (described later).

A microphone 8 for collecting sounds (sound recording means) and an earphone jack 9 are provided on the top surface Z of the information input apparatus 1.

A release switch 10, operated when photographing objects, and a power switch 11 (FIG. 11) are provided on the left side (side Y1) of apparatus 1. The release switch 10 and power switch 11 are placed vertically below the finder 2, photographic lens 3, and flash component 4 provided on the upper end of side X1.

A sound recording switch 12, operated when recording sounds, and a continuous mode switch 13 (first modification means) operated to change the number of frames photographed per unit time are provided on the side Y2 (right side) opposite to side Y1. The sound recording switch 12 and continuous mode switch 13 are placed vertically below the finder 2, photographic lens 3, and flash component 4 provided on the upper end of side X1, in the same manner as the release switch 10 and power switch 11 mentioned above. Also, the sound recording switch 12 is positioned at nearly the same height as the release switch 10 on side Y1, and is ergonomically designed such that there is no uncoordinated feeling when the apparatus is held by either the left or right hand.

The heights of the recording switch 12 and the release switch 10 may be made positively different such that, while pressing one of these switches on one side of the device, when holding the opposite side with a finger in order to cancel the moment due to this pressure, the switch provided on this opposite side is not pressed accidentally.

The continuous mode switch 13 mentioned above is used when setting the apparatus to photograph an object in only one frame or to photograph it in a fixed multiple of frames when the user photographs the object by pressing the release switch 10. For example, when the indicator of the continuous mode switch 13 is switched to the position printed with "S" (that is, switched to S mode), only one frame of photography is performed when the release switch 10 is pressed.

Also, when the indicator of the continuous mode switch 13 is switched to the position printed with "L" (that is, switched to L mode), photography of 8 frames per second (that is, it becomes low-speed continuous mode) is performed during the time the release switch 10 is pressed.

Furthermore, when the indicator of the continuous mode switch 13 is switched to the position printed with "H" (that is, switched to H mode), photography of 30 frames per second (that is, it becomes high-speed continuous mode) is performed during the time the release switch 10 is pressed.

Next, the internal structure of the information input apparatus 1 is explained. FIG. 3 is a perspective drawing showing examples of the internal structure of the information input apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. A CCD 20 is provided at the rear end (on side X2) of the photographic lens 3. CCD 20 photoelectrically converts the light images of the objects formed via the photographic lens 3 into electrical signals.

Four cylindrical batteries (size AA dry cells) 21 are arranged in apparatus 1 in an upright position vertically below the LCD 6. The electrical power stored in batteries 21 is supplied to the various electrical components of apparatus 1. A condenser 22 for accumulating the necessary charge to operate flash component 4, is placed along side batteries 21.

Control circuits for controlling the function of information input apparatus 1 are contained on a circuit board 23. An installable/removable memory card 24 (recording means) is positioned between circuit board 23 and LCD 6. All types of information input into information input apparatus 1 are recorded in predefined areas of the memory card 24.

Although in the illustrated embodiment the memory card 24 is installable and removable, memory may also be provided directly on the circuit board 23, and various types of information can be recorded in that memory. Also, the various types of information recorded in memory (memory card 24) also may be output to a personal computer via an interface, not shown.

Next, the internal electrical structure of the information input apparatus 1 of the present preferred embodiment is explained, referring to the block drawing of FIG. 4. The CCD 20 having multiple pixels photoelectrically converts into image signals (electrical signals) the light images formed on each pixel.

A correlation duplex sampling circuit (henceforth, CDS) 31 samples at a specified timing the image signals photoelectrically converted by the CCD 20. An analog/digital conversion circuit (henceforth, A/D conversion circuit) 32 (conversion means) digitizes the image signals sampled by the CDS 31 and provides them to a digital signal processor (henceforth, DSP) 33.

The DSP 33 compresses the digitized image signals and outputs them to the CPU 34 (detection means, annexing means, reproduction means). The CPU 34 records the digitized and compressed image signals (henceforth simply, photographic image data) in a specified area (photographic image recording area) of the memory card 24 via an interface (henceforth, I/F) 35.

Also, the CPU 34 contains a clock circuit (not shown,) and it records the date and time photographed as header information of the image data in the photographic image recording area of the memory card 24. The photographic date and time data are annexed to the photographic image data recorded in the photographic image recording area of the memory card 24.

The microphone 8 inputs sound information (collects sounds) and provides that sound information to the AID conversion circuit 36. The A/D conversion circuit 36 digitizes the provided sound information and outputs it to the DSP 33. The DSP 33 compresses the digitized sound information and outputs it to the CPU 34.

The CPU 34 records the digitized and compressed sound information in a specified area (sound recording area) of the memory card 24 via the I/F 35. Also, at this time, the sound recording date and time data is recorded as header information of the sound data in the sound recording area of the memory card 24.

When a specified position of the touch tablet 6A is pressed by the user's pen-type pointing device, the CPU 34 reads in the X-Y coordinates of the pressed position of the touch tablet 6A, and stores that coordinate data (line-drawing data described later) in an internal buffer memory (not shown.) Also, the CPU 34 records the line-drawing information accumulated in the buffer memory along with line-drawing information input date and time header information in the line-drawing information recording area of the memory card 24.

LCD 6 is connected to the CPU 34 via frame memory 37, and image display is made possible. The image data, having undergone compression processing, is input into the DSP 33, is expanded there, and then is provided to the frame memory 37.

Speaker 5 is connected to the DSP 33 via a digital/analog conversion circuit (henceforth, D/A conversion circuit) 38, and the sound signals analog-converted by the D/A conversion circuit 38 are output from the speaker 5.

Next, the various actions of the information input apparatus 1 of the present preferred embodiment are explained.

First, the input/output processing of sound information of the present apparatus is explained. When the power source is supplied to the information input apparatus 1 by switching the power switch 11, shown in FIG. 1, to the side printed "ON," and the record switch 12 provided on side Y2 is pressed, sound recording processing (input processing of sound information) is started. The sound information is input via the microphone 8, is digitized by the A/D conversion circuit 36, and is output to the DSP 33.

The DSP 33 compresses the digitized sound data. The sound data compressed by the DSP 33 is recorded in the sound recording area of the memory card 24 via the CPU 34 and the I/F 35. At this time, the sound recording date and time data in the sound recording area of the memory card 24 is recorded as header information of the compressed sound data.

The sounds in this case are compressed by the PCM method and recorded, but other methods may be used.

When reproducing the sound data recorded in the sound recording area of the memory card 24, the LCD 6 display shown in FIG. 5 is operated. On the LCD 6 display screen shown in FIG. 5 is displayed at the lower end E of the screen the date and the time the information was recorded (in this case, Aug. 25, 1995), and the recording time of the information recorded on that recording date is displayed on the leftmost side of the screen.

On the right next to the recording time A are displayed thumbnail images B and thumbnail image ready symbols "*" D (both described later). The information on this display is information including photographic image data. That is, in the information recorded (input) at "10:16," "10:21," "10:54," and "13:10" photographic image information is included, and in the information recorded at "10:05" and "10:28" photographic image data is not included.

On the right side of the thumbnail image display area a sound information bar C is displayed, and a bar (line) of a length corresponding to the length of the sound recording time is displayed (when sound information is not input, it is not displayed).

The user selects the information to reproduce by pressing with the pen tip of the pen-type pointing device any part of the display line of the desired information on the LCD 6 shown in FIG. 5, and reproduces the selected information by pressing the execute (run) key 7B shown in FIG. 2 with the pen tip of the pen-type pointing device.

For example, when the line shown in FIG. 5, on which "10:05" is displayed, is pressed by the pen-type pointing device, the CPU 34 reads out