Imaging Apparatus Dynamic Recording Start Position Shift
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing imaging apparatuses face limitations in capturing moving images due to fixed capture time periods, leading to missed scenes when memory storage capacity is limited, and struggle with real-time encoding of high-frame-rate images, resulting in potential image capture failures.
Innovation Solution
An imaging apparatus with a control unit that allows users to dynamically shift the recording start position in memory, setting an overwritable region for preceding images to secure storage for subsequent ones, enabling flexible capture time periods even with limited memory capacity, and incorporating a motion amount detection unit to optimize image selection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the capture time period is fixed to a predetermined time (e.g., 5 seconds), then the operation is simple and automatic, but the capture time cannot be prolonged and scenes after the fixed period cannot be captured
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the capture time period dynamic by allowing the user to press the capture button to prolong capture beyond the predetermined time. The system transitions from a fixed-time automatic mode to a flexible mode where capture duration adapts based on user input, resolving the contradiction between automatic operation simplicity and capture time flexibility.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the capture time period is prolonged beyond the predetermined time, then more scenes can be captured, but the memory capacity is insufficient to store all captured images
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a mechanism where captured images are temporarily stored in memory, and after encoding is completed, the original captured images are deleted from memory to recover storage space. This allows the system to support prolonged capture periods beyond memory capacity limitations, as old images are discarded after their data is encoded and stored elsewhere.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an encoding process as an intermediary between image capture and final storage. Images are first captured and temporarily held in memory, then encoded into a compressed format before being stored in the recording medium. This intermediary encoding step reduces the storage requirements, allowing prolonged capture periods without proportionally increasing memory capacity needs.
3Manufacturing precision
If high-frame-rate images are captured (e.g., 120 fps to 240 fps), then motion capture quality is improved, but real-time encoding becomes difficult and image capture may fail
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary actions by capturing images at high frame rates and temporarily storing them in memory before encoding. The system prepares the image data in advance in the buffer, allowing the encoding process to operate at its own pace without real-time pressure, thus resolving the contradiction between high capture rates and encoding speed requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses the buffer memory as an intermediary between the high-speed image capture and the slower encoding process. The buffer temporarily holds the high-frame-rate image data, decoupling the capture rate from the encoding rate, thereby allowing high-quality motion capture without requiring real-time encoding capability.
4Productivity
If captured images are temporarily stored in a buffer memory before encoding, then real-time encoding is eased, but the memory capacity limits the maximum number of frames that can be captured
Solution Approach 1:
The patent recovers buffer memory capacity by deleting captured images after their data has been encoded. This continuous cycle of storing images in the buffer, encoding them, and then deleting the original captured data allows the buffer to support prolonged high-frame-rate capture periods without requiring proportionally large memory capacity, resolving the contradiction between encoding efficiency and memory capacity limitations.
Data Source
AI summary
Recording in a memory configured to temporarily record captured images is controlled in response to a shift instruction from a user. A control unit receives, from the user, the shift instruction containing an information item of specifying any of images displayed on a display unit, and updates an image recording start position in the memory in response to the shift instruction. A recording region for preceding captured images with respect to the updated recording start position is set as an overwritable region so that subsequent captured images can be recorded. The display unit displays, for example, images captured at intervals of a predetermined time period so that the user can select any of the images and issue the shift instruction. In this way, a region preceding a position of a selected image in the memory is set to be overwritable so that the subsequent captured images are recorded.